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               BILL REQUEST - CODE REVISER'S OFFICE

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BILL REQ. #:        H-2724.1/01

ATTY/TYPIST:        KT:seg

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

6183.E AMH .... H2724.1

ESB 6183 - H AMD TO H AMD (AMH-2704.1)

By Representative

    On page 22, after line 19 of the amendment, insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 32.  (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, a major party's nominees for partisan offices shall be determined at a primary by votes for candidates affiliated with that party cast by voters who choose to affiliate with that party and by voters who choose not to affiliate with any major political party.

    (2) If subsection (1) of this section is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, this subsection (2) shall apply.

    (a) The legislature finds that Washington state citizens have a fundamental interest in having those state officials and legislators, who are elected to office as members of a major political party, participate in their party's decision whether to allow votes cast by voters who choose not to affiliate with any other major political party be used in part to determine the party's nominees for partisan offices.  State officials and legislators who are elected to public office as members of a major political party are the core of their parties.  They are the persons voters consider most closely associated with their party.  A compelling state interest exists in having these state officials and legislators actually participate in making the decision whether votes by nonaffiliated voters should be used in part to determine the party's nominees.  This decision has both private associational aspects as well as fundamental public policy aspects.  Crossover voting between persons associated with different major political parties would not be allowed under this proposal.

    (b) The body of a major political party empowered to adopt or repeal a rule under section 9 of this act, establishing whether votes cast by voters who are not affiliated with a major political party are used to determine the nominees of that party, must be composed of only the following persons:  (i) The members of the state central committee specified in RCW 29.42.020; (ii) each state official of the executive department, other than the superintendent of public instruction, who indicated that major party designation when filing a declaration of candidacy for election to his or her current term of office; and (iii) each state legislator who indicated that major party designation when filing a declaration of candidacy for election to his or her current term of office.

    A meeting of this body must be held no later than fifteen days before the date under section 9(6) of this act by which a rule must be adopted or repealed to be effective that year, which for 2001 must be no later than fifteen days after the effective date of this act."

    Renumber the sections following consecutively, correct internal references accordingly, and correct the title.

    On page 22, line 36 of the amendment, strike "and 8 through 13" and insert "8 through 13, and 32"

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