AN ACT Relating to initiatives and referendums; and amending RCW 29.79.020, 29.79.080, 29.79.100, 29.79.120, and 29.79.140.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 29.79.020, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 as amended by section 1, chapter 161, Laws of 1987 and RCW 29.79.020 are each amended to read as follows:

Initiative measures proposed to be submitted to the people must be filed with the secretary of state within ((~~ten~~)) sixteen months prior to the election at which they are to be submitted, and the petitions therefor must be filed with the secretary of state not less than four months before the next general state-wide election.

Initiative measures proposed to be submitted to the legislature must be filed with the secretary of state within ((~~ten~~)) sixteen months prior to the next regular session of the legislature at which they are to be submitted and the petitions therefor must be filed with the secretary of state not less than ten days before such regular session of the legislature.

A petition ordering that any act or part thereof passed by the legislature be referred to the people must be filed with the secretary of state within ((~~ninety~~)) one hundred twenty days after the final adjournment of the legislative session at which the act was passed. It may be submitted at the next general state-wide election or at a special election ordered by the legislature.

A proposed initiative or referendum measure may be filed no earlier than the opening of the secretary of state's office for business pursuant to RCW 42.04.060 on the first day filings are permitted, and any initiative or referendum petition must be filed not later than the close of business on the last business day in the specified period for submission of signatures. If a filing deadline falls on a Saturday, the office of the secretary of state shall be open on that Saturday for the transaction of business under this section from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on that Saturday.

Sec. 2. Section 29.79.080, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 as last amended by section 8, chapter 116, Laws of 1982 and RCW 29.79.080 are each amended to read as follows:

The person proposing the measure shall print blank petitions upon single sheets of paper of good writing quality (including but not limited to newsprint) not less than ((~~eleven~~)) eight and one-half inches in width and not less than ((~~fourteen~~)) eleven inches in length. Each petition at the time of circulating, signing, and filing with the secretary of state shall consist of not more than one sheet with numbered lines for not more than twenty signatures, with the prescribed warning and title, shall be in the form required by RCW 29.79.090, 29.79.100, or 29.79.110, as now or hereafter amended, and shall have a full, true, and correct copy of the proposed measure referred to therein printed on the reverse side of the petition.

Sec. 3. Section 29.79.100, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 as amended by section 10, chapter 116, Laws of 1982 and RCW 29.79.100 are each amended to read as follows:

Petitions for proposing measures for submission to the people for their approval or rejection at ((~~the next ensuing~~)) a general election, shall be substantially in the following form:

WARNING

Every person who signs this petition with any other than his or her true name, knowingly signs more than one of these petitions, signs this petition when he or she is not a legal voter, or makes any false statement on this petition may be punished by fine or imprisonment or both.

INITIATIVE PETITION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE PEOPLE

@bv@b4@i4To the Honorable .......... , Secretary of State of the State of Washington:

We, the undersigned citizens and legal voters of the State of Washington, respectfully direct that the proposed measure known as Initiative Measure No. ..... , entitled (here insert the established ballot title of the measure), a full, true and correct copy of which is printed on the reverse side of this petition, be submitted to the legal voters of the State of Washington for their approval or rejection at the general election to be held on the ..... day of November, 19.. ; and each of us for himself or herself says: I have personally signed this petition; I am a legal voter of the State of Washington, in the city (or town) and county written after my name, my residence address is correctly stated, and I have knowingly signed this petition only once.

@p3!ix!w_

!tp12,14,17,5,6 !tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!tm12,14,17,5,6!tcPetitioner's !tc Print!sc ,001name !tcResidence!sc ,001address, !tcCity

!ae0!tp12,14,17,5,6!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!tm12,14,17,5,6!tcsignature !tcfor!sc ,001positive !tcstreet!sc ,001and!sc ,001number, !tcor !tcCounty

!ae0!tp12,14,17,5,6!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!tm12,14,17,5,6!tj1!tcidentification !tcif!sc ,001any !tcTown

!ae0!tp12,14,17,5,6!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!ae0!w_

@p1 (Here follow 20 numbered lines divided into columns as below.)

@p3 !tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

1@w1

!ae0!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

2@w1

!ae0!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

3@w1

!ae0!tr| !tr| !tr| !tr|

!te etc.

!ix@p0

Sec. 4. Section 29.79.120, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 as amended by section 12, chapter 116, Laws of 1982 and RCW 29.79.120 are each amended to read as follows:

When the person proposing any initiative measure has secured upon such initiative petition a number of signatures of legal voters equal to or exceeding ((~~eight~~)) six percent of the votes cast for the office of governor at the last regular gubernatorial election prior to the submission of the signatures for verification, or when the person or organization demanding any referendum of an act of the legislature or any part thereof has secured upon any such referendum petition a number of signatures of legal voters equal to or exceeding ((~~four~~)) two percent of the votes cast for the office of governor at the last regular gubernatorial election prior to the submission of the signatures for verification, he or they may submit the petition to the secretary of state for filing.

Sec. 5. Section 29.79.140, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 and RCW 29.79.140 are each amended to read as follows:

The time for submitting initiative or referendum petitions to the secretary of state for filing is as follows:

(1) A referendum petition ordering and directing that the whole or some part or parts of an act passed by the legislature be referred to the people for their approval or rejection at the next ensuing general election or a special election ordered by the legislature, must be submitted not more than ((~~ninety~~)) one hundred twenty days after the final adjournment of the session of the legislature which passed the act;

(2) An initiative petition proposing a measure to be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the next ensuing general election, must be submitted not less than four months before the date of such election;

(3) An initiative petition proposing a measure to be submitted to the legislature at its next ensuing regular session must be submitted not less than ten days before the commencement of the session.