H-2894              _______________________________________________

                                    HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4418

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Hine, Miller, R. Fisher and Anderson

Read first time 4/23/89. Rules suspended; Read second and third times and adopted.

WHEREAS, Campaign spending and contributions to candidates are legitimate forms of participation in the American political process, but the financial strength of certain individuals or organizations should not permit them to exercise a potentially corrupting influence on the governmental process; and

          WHEREAS, The cost of conducting competitive campaigns for state offices has become alarmingly and unacceptably high; and

          WHEREAS, This high cost of campaigns has forced many candidates to raise a large portion of the money needed for competitive campaigns from special interest groups; and

          WHEREAS, A perception by the public that election campaigns for state offices are dependent upon large contributions from a few special interest groups undermines the credibility and integrity of the electoral process and our system of government; and

          WHEREAS, The integrity of elections is essential to the very preservation of a free society; and

          WHEREAS, The House of Representatives and the Senate of the State of Washington have each independently examined these concerns regarding campaign financing and have each independently attempted to develop campaign financing reforms which would restore the public trust and participation in this fundamental aspect of the electoral process; and

          WHEREAS, These actions taken independently by the House of Representatives and Senate, though taken in earnest, have failed to identify a body of reforms upon which the two chambers have been able to agree;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, the Senate concurring, That a joint select committee on campaign finance reform be established to develop legislation providing reforms in the financing of campaigns for state offices which are acceptable to the Legislature as a whole; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee consist of twelve members, three selected from each of the majority and minority party caucuses of the House of Representatives and the Senate, that the House of Representatives members be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate members be appointed by the President of the Senate, that the cochairs of the committee be appointed from among these members by the Speaker and the President, and that the committee receive staff support as directed by the Speaker and the President; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee report its recommendations to the Legislature in the form of proposed legislation by December 1, 1989.