Bill > HB2195

This bill concerns city initiatives and referendums, making several key changes to how cities can implement and conduct initiative and referendum processes. For noncharter code cities with less than 30,000 residents, the bill allows them to voluntarily adopt initiative and referendum powers, while cities with 30,000 or more residents are now required to implement these powers within one year of reaching that population threshold. The bill modifies how initiative petitions are handled, changing the signature requirement to 25 percent of votes cast in the most recent citywide election, and provides more flexible options for legislative authorities when responding to initiative petitions. Specifically, when an initiative petition is filed, the city can now choose to: directly pass the ordinance, pass a modified version, create an alternative ordinance, or send the original proposal to a vote. The bill also adds provisions about how ordinances can be amended or repealed after being passed through an initiative process, generally requiring a two-year waiting period before the city council can modify such ordinances, and then only with a two-thirds vote. Additionally, the bill extends similar requirements to charter cities with populations of 30,000 or more, mandating that they must either already have initiative and referendum processes or submit a ballot measure to implement them. These changes aim to enhance direct democratic participation at the local government level while providing clear guidelines for the implementation of initiative and referendum processes.

Government Affairs

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2195&Year=2025&Initiative=false