H-0695.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1537

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Dickerson, Reams, Lantz, D. Schmidt, Thompson, Dunshee, Scott, Wensman, Constantine, Hatfield, Kenney, O'Brien, Cooper, Wolfe, Blalock, Gombosky, Tokuda, Gardner, Keiser, Costa, Linville, Mitchell, Sullivan, Doumit, Morris, Ogden, Cody and Anderson

Read first time 01/29/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Administration.

Creating penalties for signature gatherers who are not registered voters.

    AN ACT Relating to signature gatherers; adding a new section to chapter 29.79 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 29.82 RCW; prescribing penalties; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 29.79 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) A person must be a registered voter of this state to obtain, or attempt to obtain, signatures on an initiative or referendum petition.  A person who violates this subsection may be subject to a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for each violation.

    (2) A person may only hire a person who is a registered voter of this state for the purpose of obtaining or attempting to obtain signatures on an initiative or referendum petition.  A person who violates this subsection may be subject to a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each violation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 29.82 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) A person must be a registered voter of this state to obtain, or attempt to obtain, signatures on a recall petition.  A person who violates this subsection may be subject to a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for each violation.

    (2) A person may only hire a person who is a registered voter of this state for the purpose of obtaining or attempting to obtain signatures on a recall petition.  A person who violates this subsection may be subject to a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each violation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  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 takes effect immediately.

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