S-2072.1                   _______________________________________________

 

                                           SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8216

                              _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

 

By Senator Quigley

 

Read first time 03/03/93.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

 

Reducing the number of state executive branch elected officials.


          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 II, section 10 of the Constitution of the state of Washington; an amendment to Article III, sections 1, 3, and 10 of the Constitution of the state of Washington; an amendment to Article III of the Constitution of the state of Washington by repealing sections 16, 19, 22, and 23 in their entirety; and an amendment to Article III of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new section to read as follows:

 

           Article II, section 10.  Each house shall elect its own officers((; and when the lieutenant governor shall not attend as president, or shall act as governor, the senate shall choose a temporary president.  When presiding, the lieutenant governor shall have the deciding vote in case of an equal division of the senate)).  The president of the senate shall be elected by a majority of the members of the senate from among its own members, and shall serve for a term of two years.

 

           Article III, section 1.  The executive department shall consist of a governor, ((lieutenant governor,)) secretary of state, ((treasurer,)) auditor, and attorney general, ((superintendent of public instruction, and a commissioner of public lands,)) who shall be severally chosen by the qualified electors of the state at the same time and place of voting as for the members of the legislature.

 

           Article III, section 3.  The ((lieutenant governor,)) secretary of state, ((treasurer,)) auditor, and attorney general, ((superintendent of public instruction, and commissioner of public lands,)) shall hold their offices for four years respectively, and until their successors are elected and qualified.

 

           Article III, section 10.  In case of the removal, resignation, death or disability of the governor, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the ((lieutenant governor)) president of the senate; and in case of a vacancy in both the offices of governor and ((lieutenant governor)) president of the senate, the duties of the governor shall devolve upon the secretary of state.  In addition to the line of succession to the office and duties of governor as hereinabove indicated, if the necessity shall arise, in order to fill the vacancy in the office of governor, the following state officers shall succeed to the duties of governor and in the order named, viz.:  ((Treasurer,)) Auditor((,)) and attorney general((, superintendent of public instruction and commissioner of public lands)).  In case of the death, disability, failure or refusal of the person regularly elected to the office of governor to qualify at the time provided by law, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the ((person regularly elected to and qualified for the office of lieutenant governor)) president of the senate, who shall act as governor until the disability be removed, or a governor be elected; and in case of the death, disability, failure or refusal of both the governor ((and the lieutenant governor)) elect or the president of the senate to qualify, the duties of the governor shall devolve upon the secretary of state; and in addition to the line of succession to the office and duties of governor as hereinabove indicated, if there shall be the failure or refusal of any officer named above to qualify, and if the necessity shall arise by reason thereof, then in that event in order to fill the vacancy in the office of governor, the following state officers shall succeed to the duties of governor in the order named, viz:  ((Treasurer,)) Auditor((,)) and attorney general((, superintendent of public instruction and commissioner of public lands)).  Any person succeeding to the office of governor as in this section provided, shall perform the duties of such office only until the disability be removed, or a governor be elected and qualified; and if a vacancy occur more than thirty days before the next general election occurring within two years after the commencement of the term, a person shall be elected at such election to fill the office of governor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

 

          Article III, section ..... .  The lieutenant governor, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, and the commissioner of public lands in office on the effective date of this act shall complete the terms of office for which they were elected.

 

          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.

 

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the foregoing amendment shall be construed as a single amendment within the meaning of Article XXIII, section 1 of the state Constitution.

          The legislature finds that the changes contained in the foregoing amendment constitute a single integrated plan for restructuring the executive branch of state government.  If the foregoing amendment is held to be separate amendments, this joint resolution shall be void in its entirety and shall be of no further force and effect.

 

 


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