S-4600.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6661

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senators McAuliffe, Pelz, Haugen and Sheldon

Read first time 01/23/96.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Requiring that paid referendum and initiative petition gatherers wear a notice stating that they are being paid for their efforts.

    AN ACT Relating to paid initiative and referendum signature gatherers; amending RCW 29.79.490; and prescribing penalties.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 29.79.490 and 1993 c 256 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    Every person shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor who:

    (1) For any consideration or gratuity or promise thereof, signs or declines to sign any initiative or referendum petition; or

    (2) Provides or receives consideration for soliciting or procuring signatures on an initiative or referendum petition if any part of the consideration is based upon the number of signatures solicited or procured, or offers to provide or agrees to receive such consideration any of which is based on the number of signatures solicited or procured; or

    (3) Gives or offers any consideration or gratuity to any person to induce him or her to sign or not to sign or to vote for or against any initiative or referendum measure; or

    (4) Interferes with or attempts to interfere with the right of any voter to sign or not to sign an initiative or referendum petition or with the right to vote for or against an initiative or referendum measure by threats, intimidation, or any other corrupt means or practice; or

    (5) Receives, handles, distributes, pays out, or gives away, directly or indirectly, money or any other thing of value contributed by or received from any person, firm, association, or corporation whose residence or principal office is, or the majority of whose members or stockholders have their residence outside, the state of Washington, for any service rendered for the purpose of aiding in procuring signatures upon any initiative or referendum petition or for the purpose of aiding in the adoption or rejection of any initiative or referendum measure:  PROVIDED, That this subsection shall not apply to or prohibit any activity which is properly reported in accordance with the applicable provisions of chapter 42.17 RCW; or

(6) Solicits or procures signatures for an initiative or referendum petition for consideration without wearing a notice visible to the public that contains the following statement:  "I am a paid signature gatherer."

The public disclosure commission must by rule establish standards for the size and design of the notice.

    A gross misdemeanor under this section is punishable to the same extent as a gross misdemeanor that is punishable under RCW 9A.20.021.

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