FINAL BILL REPORT
ESSB 5490
PARTIAL VETO
C 284 L 22
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Creating the interbranch advisory committee.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Pedersen, Padden, Dhingra, Mullet and Nobles).
Senate Committee on Law & Justice
House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations
Background:

The political authority of the state is divided into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government and subdivisions of cities and counties.  The separation of powers doctrine refers to the division of governmental authority into these distinct branches and the limitation of any branch from exercising the core functions of another branch.  Interactions between these separate but coequal branches of government are generally conducted through the formal processes and proceedings of each branch.  These formal processes are defined and understood by application through the state constitution, statutes, and rules adopted by each branch. 

Summary:

The Interbranch Advisory Committee (Committee) is created to foster cooperation, communication, coordination, collaboration, and planning regarding issues of mutual concern among the three branches of state government. 

 

An additional purpose of the Committee is to suggest ways to provide access to justice and to court services in a just and equitable manner. 

 

The Committee is composed of the following members:

  • two legislative members from the House;
  • two legislative members from the Senate;
  • a representative of the Governor's office;
  • a representative of the Attorney General;
  • a representative of the cities;
  • a representative of the counties;
  • a representative of court clerks; and
  • eight members of the judicial branch.

 

The Committee shall submit a recommendation by November 1, 2024, to the appropriate legislative committees on whether the Committee should be renewed or changed in any way.

 

This act expires January 1, 2026.

Votes on Final Passage:
Senate 47 0
House 58 40
Effective:

June 9, 2022

Partial Veto Summary:

Sections addressing support provided by the Office of Financial Management, procedures for selecting co-chairs, and issues to be included for consideration by the committee were vetoed.  See the Governor's veto message for details.