S-2381               _______________________________________________

                               SUBSTITUTE SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8211

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State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Halsan, DeJarnatt and Kreidler; by request of Office of the Governor)

Read first time 3/6/87.

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 III of the state Constitution by adding a new section to read as follows:

Article III, section __.        (1) The governor may initiate statutory changes in the organization of the executive branch or in the assignment of functions among its units by submitting such changes to the legislature as reorganization proposals.  Such proposals shall not diminish the powers or duties of state-wide elected officials other than the governor.  Any such proposal shall be submitted to both houses of the legislature in the form of a bill at the same time as the biennial budget document or any budget document which is submitted for a fiscal period other than a biennium, as required by law. The proposal shall be accompanied by a statement which reflects the changes in appropriations or revenue which will result if the reorganization proposal takes effect.

          (2) Unless modified by law, the following procedures apply for withdrawal, amendment, and resubmittal by the governor of a reorganization proposal.  The governor may withdraw a proposal at any time until forty days before the end of a session by notifying the legislature thereof.  No later than thirty days before the end of the session, either house of the legislature may notify the governor of proposed amendments to a proposal.  No later than twenty days before the end of the session, the governor may submit to both houses of the legislature an amended proposal containing the proposed amendments from either house which the governor accepts.  No later than ten days before the end of the session, the appropriate standing committee in the senate or the house of representatives shall report the bill out of committee with its recommendation to the full body.

          (3) The legislature may disapprove but may not amend a proposal.  Disapproval shall be by resolution concurred in by a majority of the members elected or appointed to either house.  If a proposal is disapproved, it shall not take effect.  If, by the end of the regular session, a proposal is not disapproved, it shall take effect and shall be subject to the initiative and referendum petition; however, it shall not be referred to the people by the legislature.

          (4) Additional procedures and requirements regarding the governor's power to submit, modify, or withdraw reorganization proposals may be prescribed by law.

          (5) Any proposal which takes effect through the procedures of this section shall be codified and considered in all respects as enacted law.  Such laws may be amended or repealed in the manner provided in other sections of this Constitution.

          (6) Nothing contained in this section may be construed to limit or alter the legislative authority to reorganize the executive branch by enacting laws in the manner provided in other sections of this Constitution.

          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.