S-0042.1  _______________________________________________

                   SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8203

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senator McCaslin

Read first time 01/13/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Amending the Constitution to revise the schedule for legislative sessions.

    BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:

    THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state there shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article II, section 12 of the Constitution of the state of Washington to read as follows:

    Article II, section 12.  (1) Regular Sessions.  A regular session of the legislature shall be convened each odd-numbered year. Regular sessions shall convene on such day and at such time as the legislature shall determine by statute.  ((During each odd‑numbered year,)) The regular session shall not be more than one hundred ((five)) twenty consecutive days.  ((During each even‑numbered year, the regular session shall not be more than sixty consecutive days.))

    (2) Special Legislative Sessions.  Special legislative sessions may be convened for a period of not more than ((thirty)) fifteen consecutive days by proclamation of the governor pursuant to Article III, section 7 of this Constitution.  Special legislative sessions may also be convened for a period of not more than ((thirty)) fifteen consecutive days by resolution of the legislature upon the affirmative vote in each house of two‑thirds of the members elected or appointed thereto, which vote may be taken and resolution executed either while the legislature is in session or during any interim between sessions in accordance with such procedures as the legislature may provide by law or resolution.  The resolution convening the legislature shall specify a purpose or purposes for the convening of a special session, and any special session convened by the resolution shall consider only measures germane to the purpose or purposes expressed in the resolution, unless by resolution adopted during the session upon the affirmative vote in each house of two‑thirds of the members elected or appointed thereto, an additional purpose or purposes are expressed.  If the specification of purpose by the governor pursuant to Article III, section 7 of this Constitution limits the special session to fiscal matters only, the special session shall be limited to consideration of budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, appropriations, and tax measures.  Any other specification of purpose by the governor shall be considered by the legislature but shall not be mandatory.

    (3) Committees of the Legislature.  Standing and special committees of the legislature shall meet and conduct official business pursuant  to such rules as the legislature may adopt.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of the foregoing constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.

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