H-2156.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1988
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Braddock, Sprenkle, Anderson, Prentice, Belcher, Dellwo and Leonard).
Read first time March 5, 1991.
AN ACT Relating to Indian delegates in the Washington state legislature; adding new sections to chapter 44.04 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that members of the Indian tribes of our state, the first citizens to live in what is now the state of Washington, have a unique government-to-government relationship with our state and would bring an important historical and cultural perspective to the deliberations of the legislative branch of our government. It is the purpose of this act to provide for direct participation in the legislative process by delegates representing Indian tribes of the state of Washington.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The federally recognized Indian tribes in the state of Washington are invited to elect two persons to serve as delegates representing the tribes in the state's house of representatives and two persons to serve as delegates representing the tribes in the state's senate. These four persons shall serve as nonvoting members of the house to which they are elected, but otherwise shall have the same privileges as other members of the legislature to fully participate in the legislative process.
The tribes shall select the process for electing these delegates. Such an election may be based on population representation or tribal representation or any other form of representation selected by the tribes. For example, the election may be limited to, but need not be limited to, election by the chairs of the tribal councils of the federally recognized Indian tribes in this state.
The tribes shall transmit a document to the house and the senate which identifies the means by which persons shall be certified by the tribes as being delegates, the means by which such a document may be amended by the tribes to alter the certification process, and the means by which the house and senate shall be notified regarding such an amendment.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Delegates elected to represent the Indian tribes under section 2 of this act shall serve two-year terms, which terms shall commence as provided in RCW 44.04.021: PROVIDED, That the members first elected under section 2 of this act shall serve one-year terms commencing on the second Monday in January 1992. Per diem and expense allowances for delegates elected to represent Indian tribes shall be the same as provided for other members of the legislature.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 2 and 3 of this act are each added to chapter 44.04 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.