HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1113

                      As Passed House:

                        March 7, 1995

Title:  An act relating to filing initiative petitions.

Brief Description:  Revising time limits for filing initiatives petitions.

Sponsors:  Representatives Campbell, Hargrove, Smith, Chappell, D. Schmidt, Schoesler and Ballasiotes.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  2/15/95, 2/17/95 [DP].

Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  3/7/95, 77-17.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; L. Thomas, Vice Chairman; Hargrove; Honeyford; Hymes; Mulliken; D. Schmidt and Van Luven.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 6 members:  Representatives Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chopp; R. Fisher; Sommers and Wolfe.

Staff:  Bonnie Austin (786-7135).

Background:  Initiative measures to the people must be filed with the Secretary of State within 10 months of the date of the election at which they will be submitted.  Initiative petitions must be filed at least four months before that election.  This process provides a maximum of approximately six months to obtain signatures.

Initiative measures to the Legislature must be filed with the Secretary of State within 10 months of the start of the next regular legislative session at which they will be is submitted.  Initiative petitions must be filed at least 10 days prior to the start of that legislative session.  This process provides a maximum of approximately nine and one-half months to obtain signatures.

Proposed initiative measures may be filed no earlier than the first day of the relevant 10 month filing period.

Summary of Bill:  The requirement that initiative measures be filed within 10 months of the election or the legislative session at which they will be submitted is repealed.  The requirement that proposed measures be filed no earlier than the first day of the relevant 10 month filing period is repealed.  Initiative petitions must be filed within 12 months of the date the initiative measure is filed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This gives petitioners 12 months to gather signatures.  The current process doesn't give people enough time.  With this extension, paid signature gatherers won't be needed.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Tom Campbell, prime sponsor.