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Legislator says constitutional change would let Legislature set its own session calendar; supporters and opponents testify
Summary
Representative Brianna Thomas and supporters urged voters be allowed to decide whether the Legislature should set adjournment dates instead of the Constitution; witnesses expressed both support for scheduling flexibility and concern about concentrating power in lawmakers’ hands.
Representative Brianna Thomas introduced House Joint Resolution 42-10, a proposed constitutional amendment that would remove the current constitutional limits on regular-session duration and direct the Legislature to set adjournment dates by statute. "This doesn't actually set the schedule," Thomas said, adding the change "gives us as the legislative body the authority to set our own schedule."
Supporters, including Andrew Villeneuve of the Northwest Progressive Institute, said the amendment would allow the Legislature and voters to weigh scheduling options and make the process more sustainable. "By passing this amendment, you're letting the people vote," Villeneuve said, urging the committee to advance the measure so voters can decide.
Opponents cautioned that changing the Constitution to eliminate duration limits risks concentrating power in lawmakers. Tim Iman of Kirkland said the amendment "gives you more power" and expressed unease about swapping a constitutional constraint for legislative discretion. Other public commenters urged caution and noted the measure will require a public vote if advanced.
The committee suspended and later reopened the HJR 42-10 hearing to hear multiple public testimonies before adjourning; the transcript records both pro and con views but no final committee action on the resolution during this session.
