H-1207.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1713

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representative McMorris

Read first time 02/05/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Administration.

Modifying the signature requirements for initiatives, referendums, and recalls.

    AN ACT Relating to signature requirements for initiatives, referendums, and recalls; and amending RCW 29.79.120 and 29.82.060.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 29.79.120 and 1982 c 116 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

    When the person proposing any initiative measure has secured upon such initiative petition a number of signatures of legal voters equal to or exceeding eight percent of the votes cast for the office of governor at the last regular gubernatorial election prior to the submission of the signatures for verification, or when the person or organization demanding any referendum of an act of the legislature or any part thereof has secured upon any such referendum petition a number of signatures of legal voters equal to or exceeding four percent of the votes cast for the office of governor at the last regular gubernatorial election prior to the submission of the signatures for verification, he, she, or they may submit the petition to the secretary of state for filing.  A pro rata share of the necessary minimum number of signatures shall be obtained in each congressional district.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 29.82.060 and 1991 c 363 s 36 are each amended to read as follows:

    When the person, committee, or organization demanding the recall of a public officer has secured sufficient signatures upon the recall petition the person, committee, or organization may submit the same to the officer with whom the charge was filed for filing in his or her office.  The number of signatures required shall be as follows:

    (1) In the case of a state officer, an officer of a city of the first class, a member of a school board in a city of the first class, or a county officer of a county with a population of forty thousand or more‑-signatures of legal voters equal to twenty-five percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for the office to which the officer whose recall is demanded was elected at the preceding election.  A pro rata share of the necessary minimum number of signatures for the recall of a state officer shall be obtained in each congressional district.

    (2) In the case of an officer of any political subdivision, city, town, township, precinct, or school district other than those mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, and in the case of a state senator or representative‑-signatures of legal voters equal to thirty-five percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for the office to which the officer whose recall is demanded was elected at the preceding election.

                            --- END ---