BILL REQ. #: S-3555.2
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2006 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/11/2006. Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.
AN ACT Relating to declarations of emergency by the legislature; adding a new section to chapter 44.04 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 It is the intent of the legislature to
preserve the constitutional right of the people to have the power of
referendum. Recently, this power has been limited due to the overuse
of emergency clauses in legislation. The legislature finds that the
emergency clause should be reserved for true emergencies rather than
usurping the referendum power of the people.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 44.04 RCW
to read as follows:
In order for an act to be necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state
government and its existing public institutions, as stated in Article
II, section 1 of the Washington State Constitution, there must be a
two-thirds vote of the legislators elected or appointed to each house
of the legislature.