AN ACT Relating to gender requirements in the election of chair and vice chair positions for state committees of political parties; and amending RCW 29A.80.020.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 29A.80.020 and 2013 c 11 s 79 are each amended to read as follows:

The state committee of each major political party consists of one committeeman and one committeewoman from each county elected by the county central committee at its organization meeting. It must have a chair and vice chair who may be of opposite sexes. This committee shall meet during January of each odd-numbered year for the purpose of organization at a time and place designated by a notice mailed at least one week before the date of the meeting to all new state committeemen and committeewomen by the authorized officers of the retiring committee. At its organizational meeting it shall elect its chair and vice chair, and such officers as its bylaws may provide, and adopt bylaws, rules, and regulations. It may:

(1) Call conventions at such time and place and under such circumstances and for such purposes as the call to convention designates. The manner, number, and procedure for selection of state convention delegates is subject to the committee's rules and regulations duly adopted;

(2) Provide for the election of delegates to national conventions;

(3) Provide for the nomination of presidential electors; and

(4) Perform all functions inherent in such an organization.

Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, the committee may not adopt rules governing the conduct of the actual proceedings at a party state convention.

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