SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5044

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

            Government Operations, January 11, 1996

Title:  An act relating to initiative petition requirements for cities and towns.

Brief Description:  Allowing cities and towns in which citizens have the power of initiative to impose reasonable requirements to assure the validity of signatures on the initiative petition.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  1/18/95, 1/24/95 [DPS]; 1/11/96 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5044 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Sheldon, Vice Chair; Goings, Hale, Heavey, McCaslin and Winsley.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  The initiative process for the commission form of local government and all code cities requires that one of the signers of each page of the initiative petition attach an affidavit to the page he signs.  This affidavit states that each signature on the page is a genuine signature of the person whose name it purports to be and that the statements therein are true to the best of his or her knowledge.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The affidavit requirement is eliminated.  Language is modernized.   Every signer must print his or her name as it appears on the voter registration rolls and include his or her city or town.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill removes the authorization for cities and towns to impose other reasonable requirements for the validation of signatures.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  No one.