H-1880              _______________________________________________

                                SUBSTITUTE HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4207

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State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives H. Sommers, McMullen and Belcher; by request of Governor Gardner)

Read first time 2/18/87 and passed to Committee on Rules.

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:

          THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state there shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article III of the state Constitution by adding a new section to read as follows:

Article III, section __.        (1) The governor may initiate statutory changes in the organization of the executive branch or in the assignment of functions among its units by submitting such changes to the legislature as reorganization proposals.  Such proposals shall apply only to the executive branch and shall not diminish the powers or duties of state-wide elected officials other than the governor.  Any such proposal shall be submitted to both houses of the legislature in the form of a bill within the first fifteen calendar days of a regular session of the legislature.  The governor may modify or withdraw a reorganization proposal in accordance with procedures as prescribed by law.

          (2) The legislature may disapprove but may not amend a proposal.  Disapproval shall be by resolution concurred in by a majority of the members elected or appointed to either house.  If a proposal is disapproved, it shall not take effect.  If, by the end of the regular session, a proposal is not disapproved or withdrawn, it shall take effect and shall be subject to the initiative and referendum petition; however, it shall not be referred to the people by the legislature.

          (3) Additional procedures and requirements regarding the governor's power to submit, modify, or withdraw reorganization proposals may be prescribed by law.

          (4) Any proposal which takes effect through the procedures of this section shall be codified and considered in all respects as enacted law.  Such laws may be amended or repealed in the manner provided in other sections of this Constitution.

          (5) Nothing contained in this section may be construed to limit or alter the legislative authority to reorganize the executive branch by enacting laws in the manner provided in other sections of this Constitution.

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of the foregoing constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.