February 2007

The BOG Report

by Jason T. Vail

     The Washington State Bar Association Board of Governors met in La Conner on December 8 and 9, 2006. The largest single issue handled by the Board was the package of recommendations from the Legislative Committee on proposed legislation for the upcoming session in Olympia. The committee had submitted a number of recommendations to the Board for the Bar's support or sponsorship on a wide array of proposed legislation. The Board approved all of the recommendations as each was handled in turn. These are as follows:

     The WSBA will be supporting a modernization and update of the state's securities act in accordance with the Uniform Securities Act of 2002. The Bar will also be sponsoring various changes to Washington's trusts and estates statutes. Changes to the Washington Business Corporation Act, including those regarding modified plurality voting and significant business transactions will be sponsored by the Bar. A proposal establishing a state office of public guardian, which will be charged with providing guardianship services for those who cannot afford them, will also be sponsored. Finally, the Bar will be sponsoring changes to the Deed of Trust statute as well as an expansion of Washington's homestead exemption to $125,000. Overall, the discussion of legislative matters was detailed, thoughtful, and very engaging.

     There were a variety of other issues handled during the La Connor meeting. Following the judicial elections last fall, there has been considerable interest from various factions in reconsidering how judges are selected in Washington, so the Board has established a committee to look at the judicial election process in Washington. The committee reported to the Board that it has only just begun its work to examine this issue, but the Board voted to express its general support for the concept of public funding for judicial elections, though it did not contemplate any particular plan or funding structure. The Board also received a detailed report on the excellent work being done by the Environmental and Land Use Law Section. Another report was provided by the Executive Director Task Force on the progress it is making to screen applicants for the position of WSBA Executive Director. Finally, the Board voted in favor of the Bar's participation as amicus curiae in a family law case that has implications for the establishment of a right to appointed counsel in certain non-criminal proceedings in Washington.

     These were just the highlights of the meeting. The full minutes can be found at www.wsba.org/info/bog/minutes+2006-2007.htm.

Jason T. Vail is the WYLD Governor on the WSBA Board of Governors. Mr. Vail is a staff attorney with the Seattle office of Northwest Justice Project and is a staff attorney-legal editor with the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law's legal journal, Clearinghouse Review. He can be reached at 206-464-1519 or jasonv@nwjustice.org.