AN ACT Relating to ballot measures regarding required information and filing fees; amending RCW 29A.72.010 and 29A.72.020; adding a new section to chapter 29A.72 RCW; and providing an effective date.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 29A.72.010 and 2003 c 111 s 1802 are each amended to read as follows:

((If))(1) Any legal voter of the state, either individually or on behalf of an organization, ((desires to))may petition the legislature to enact a proposed measure, or submit a proposed initiative measure to the people, or order that a referendum of all or part of any act, bill, or law, passed by the legislature be submitted to the people((, he or she shall)).

(2) The sponsor of the measure must file with the secretary of state a legible copy of the measure proposed, in its entirety, or the act or part of such act on which a referendum is desired, accompanied by an affidavit that the sponsor is a legal voter and a filing fee prescribed under ((RCW 43.07.120))subsection (4) of this section.

Sec. 2.  RCW 29A.72.020 and 2003 c 111 s 1803 are each amended to read as follows:

Upon receipt of a proposed initiative measure, and before giving it a serial number, the secretary of state shall submit a copy ((thereof)) to the office of the code reviser and give notice to the sponsor of such transmittal. Upon receipt of the measure, the assistant code reviser to whom it has been assigned may confer with the sponsor and shall within seven working days from its receipt, review the proposal and recommend to the sponsor such revision or alteration of the measure as may be deemed necessary and appropriate. The recommendations of the code reviser's office are advisory only, and the sponsor may accept or reject them in whole or in part. The code reviser shall issue a certificate of review certifying that he or she has reviewed the measure and that any recommendations have been communicated to the sponsor. The certificate must be issued whether or not the sponsor accepts such recommendations. Within fifteen working days after notification of submittal of the proposed measure to the code reviser's office, the sponsor, if he or she desires to proceed with sponsorship, shall file the measure together with the certificate of review with the secretary of state for assignment of a serial number, and the secretary of state shall then submit to the code reviser's office a certified copy of the measure filed. Upon submission of the proposal to the secretary of state for assignment of a serial number, the secretary of state shall refuse to make such assignment unless the proposal is accompanied by a certificate of review, the filing fee has been paid, and the sponsor has provided a current state unified business identifier number for the entity gathering signatures, if required.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 29A.72 RCW to read as follows:

The ballot measure account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from RCW 29A.72.010 must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for offsetting the costs related to processing ballot measures. Only the secretary of state, or the secretary's designee, may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

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