S‑0434.3   _____________________________________________

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8407

           _____________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Hochstatter, McCaslin and Swecker

Read first time 01/19/2001.  Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.

_1      WHEREAS, 65,843 people of King, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties

_2  acted, in good faith, in reliance upon Article XI, section 4 to

_3  exercise power reserved under Article I, section 1 as required by

_4  Article XI, section 3 of the Constitution of the state of

_5  Washington; and

_6      WHEREAS, 65,843 people of King, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties

_7  delivered to the legislature of the state of Washington first

_8  amendment petitions withdrawing consent to governance by their

_9  respective parent counties on:  April 23, 1995; January 31, 1996;

10  February 28, 1996; March 6, 1996; September 16, 1996; October 31,

11  1996; and November 4, 1996 respectively; and

12      WHEREAS, The chief clerk of the House of Representatives and

13  the secretary of the senate transmitted the first amendment

14  petitions to the secretary of state and provided for examination

15  of the petitions; and

16      WHEREAS, The secretary of state delivered his "Report to the

17  Senate and House of Representatives of the state of Washington on

18  Petitions for the Formation of New Counties" on January 13, 1997;

19  and

20      WHEREAS, The secretary's January 13, 1997, report evidences the

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_1  petitions conform to constitutionally mandated, legislatively

_2  established, and judicially affirmed standards for the creation of

_3  new counties; and

_4      WHEREAS, 59,195 people, confirmed to have delivered their

_5  express political will to the legislature of the state of

_6  Washington, have a good faith belief that their respective parent

_7  counties are without the "just powers" needed to govern them; and

_8      WHEREAS, The "just power" required by county governments to

_9  govern by consent has, to date, not been established by the

10  legislature of the state of Washington; and

11      WHEREAS, Snohomish county plans a violent confrontation to

12  thwart the political will of the people withdrawing consent from

13  Snohomish county governance, which creates a dangerous and

14  impossible situation adverse to the public peace, health, safety,

15  or support of the state government and its existing public

16  institutions; and

17      WHEREAS, The purpose of the state of Washington is to "protect

18  and maintain individual rights" the right to consent being first

19  among many; and

20      WHEREAS, The confusion arising from legislative omission with

21  respect to these matters has resulted in no action with respect to

22  the peoples' express political will; and

23      WHEREAS, The 12,659 people of the county of Freedom, confirmed

24  to have delivered their express political will to the legislature

25  of the state of Washington, have delivered a first amendment

26  petition for redress of grievances to present evidence of certain

27  unfinished business of the people;

28      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of

29  Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That the

30  petition and evidence of the peoples' unfinished business be

31  admitted into the record of both houses of the legislature and the

32  contents thereof published in the Washington state register; and

33      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That each house shall take the evidence

34  under advisement and as quickly and timely as is practicable

35  finally and conclusively consider, resolve, and dispose of the

36  peoples' unfinished business.

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