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AN ORDINANCE amending the King County council rules in response to an emergency declaration issued by the King County executive; amending Ordinance 19088, Section 6; and declaring an emergency.

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                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     SECTION 1.  Findings:

                     A.  On February 29, 2020, public health - Seattle & King County confirmed the first cases of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19"), including one death, in the county.

                     B.  COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that can result in serious illness or death and can easily spread from person to person.

                     C.  On March 1, 2020, King County executive Dow Constantine signed a proclamation of emergency in response to COVID-19, enabling "extraordinary measures" to fight the outbreak.

                     D.  On March 16, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 20-14 prohibiting gatherings of fewer than fifty people unless organizers comply with social distancing and sanitation measures established by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Washington State Department of Health guidelines.

                     E.  On March 16, 2020, Dr. Jeff Duchin, local health officer for public health - Seattle & King County, issued a parallel order for King County prohibiting gatherings of fewer than fifty people unless social distancing and sanitation measures can be maintained.

                     F.  On March 24, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 20-28 regarding the Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act, which prohibited public agencies subject to chapter 42.30 RCW from conducting any meeting unless the meeting is not conducted in person and instead provides an option or options for the public to attend the proceedings through, at minimum, telephonic access, and provides the ability for all persons attending the meeting to hear each other at the same time.

                     G.  The King County council has temporarily suspended most standing and regional committee meetings,  is scheduling meetings only to address routine and necessary matters and to address matters related to the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, consistent with the Updated Open Public Meetings Act General Guidance from the Office of the Attorney General Regarding the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Event dated March 26, 2020.

                     H.  As the duration and impact of the emergency cannot be foreseen, the council desires to make formal provisions for how to effectively proceed with conducting the people's business, while complying with the governor's proclamations and local health officer's orders.

                     SECTION 2.  Ordinance 19088, Section 6, is hereby amended to read as follows:

                     Ordinance 19088, Sections 3 and 4 ((and 5 of this ordinance)) expire June 11, 2020.

                     SECTION 3.  The council finds as a fact and declares that an emergency exists and that the enactment of this ordinance as an emergency ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health or safety or for the support of county government and its existing public institutions.