Attorney General and WDFW back repeal of 1984 initiative that limited tribal co‑management
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Summary
House Bill 25‑54 seeks to repeal Initiative 456/RCW 77.11; the Attorney General's Office and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife called the statute unconstitutional and urged its removal to restore cooperative state–tribal fishery management.
House Bill 25‑54 would repeal Initiative 456 (codified at RCW 77.11), a 1984 voter initiative that the Attorney General’s Office and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife say conflicts with federal court rulings recognizing tribal treaty rights.
"These statutes are blatantly unconstitutional because they ask the state to ignore the court's rulings in United States v. Washington," Joe Pinesco, senior counsel in the Attorney General's Office said, urging repeal. Jim Woods of the Department of Fish and Wildlife said the bill removes language that undermined cooperative management and is inaccurate in light of federal treaties and court precedent.
Prime sponsor Representative Deborah Lekanoff described the legislation as an effort to correct a historical wrong and to restore cooperative state‑tribal management established after lengthy litigation and negotiation. She said the measure had passed the House in a prior session but did not complete action in the Senate.
Both Pinesco and Woods said their offices collaborated on the proposal and recommended repeal as a step toward honoring treaty rights and clarifying state law. The committee closed the public hearing after reading sign‑in tallies into the record.
