FINAL BILL REPORT
SCR 8414
Brief Description: Creating a joint select committee on civic health.
Sponsors: Senators Lovick, Torres, Billig, Boehnke, Cleveland, Conway, Dhingra, Frame, Holy, Hunt, Keiser, Kuderer, Liias, Lovelett, Muzzall, Nguyen, Nobles, Pedersen, Rivers, Salda?a, Shewmake, Stanford, Wagoner, Warnick, Wellman, Wilson, C. and Wilson, J.; by request of Lieutenant Governor.
Senate Committee on State Government & Elections
House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations
Background:

In partnership with the University of Washington Evans School, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, and the Ruckelshaus Center, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor established the Project for Civic Health. The project seeks to bring together people who are concerned about civic health, to improve governance, to develop practical and transformative ideas, and to create public accountability.


The project began by convening roundtable discussions in five Washington counties with elected officials and community leaders. The roundtable discussions have been formalized into a report titled Common Ground for the Common Good.


Following the report, community and political leaders from across Washington gathered as part of a Civic Health Project Summit on October 19, 2023. The purpose of the summit was to think through how to uncover shared objectives and build ways to strengthen abilities to debate, discuss, and develop better solutions to civic health issues.
Summary:

A Joint Select Committee on Civic Health is established to build upon the work of the Project for Civic health. The committee must consist of 13 members:

  • three members of the majority party and three members of the minority party of the Senate, to be selected by the President of the Senate;
  • three members of the majority party and three members of the minority party of the House of Representatives, to be selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
  • the Lieutenant Governor.

 

The Lieutenant Governor must serve as the chair of the committee and one member of the majority party and one member of the minority party from opposite chambers must serve as vice chairs.


The committee must operate in full accordance with joint rules of the Legislature.


All expenses and staff support for the committee must be provided by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, except that legislative members of the committee must be reimbursed by the Senate and House of Representatives.


The committee will issue its preliminary recommendations and report to the Legislature prior to the 2025 regular session and its final recommendations and report prior to the 2026 regular session, at which time the committee must cease to exist.
Votes on Final Passage:
Final Passage Votes
Senate 47 0
House 95 0 (House amended)
House
Senate 49 0 (Senate concurred)
Effective:

Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.