S-4413.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6563

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Heavey, West, Wojahn, Bauer, Roach, Fairley, Loveland, Schow, Haugen, Swecker, T. Sheldon and Kohl)

Read first time 02/03/98.

Requiring a specific statement in any bill or local ordinance containing an emergency clause as to the reason for an early effective date.

    AN ACT Relating to effective dates of bills; adding a new section to chapter 1.04 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that the power of referendum reserved to the people is of such paramount importance to our system of government that any legislative act abrogating that power must be subject to explicit justification by the legislative authority.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 1.04 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Any bill passed by the legislature, all or any portion of which will take effect before the expiration of the standard ninety-day period specified in the state Constitution, shall state with specificity both:  (a) Whether the reason allowed for the early effective date is the necessity for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing institutions; and (b) the facts that provide the basis for the constitutional exception to the standard ninety-day period.

    (2) In any county or city having reserved to the people the power of referendum, any legislation passed by the legislative authority of that county or city, all or any portion of which is not subject to the power of referendum, shall state with specificity the facts that provide the basis for the conclusion by the legislative authority that the resolution must take effect immediately.

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