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House rejects motion to suspend rules to prioritize two citizen initiatives
Summary
Lawmakers debated whether two certified citizen initiatives should be given expedited public hearings; the House rejected a motion to suspend rules (38–57) after constitutional arguments over whether the legislature must act or may take no action.
The Washington State House of Representatives voted down a motion to suspend the rules and direct the Education Committee to promptly schedule public hearings on two certified citizen initiatives (referred to in debate as I-126-638 and I-126-001).
Representative Couture moved the suspension, arguing that “Article 2, section 1 of our state's constitution states the people reserved to themselves the power to propose bills, laws, and to... reject the same at the polls,” and that the legislature therefore has a duty to consider and promptly hold hearings on measures submitted by more than 400,000 Washingtonians.
Representative Fitzgibbon led opposition, asking members to vote no and reading constitutional text that clarifies the legislature may either enact an initiative, refer it to the people, or take no action—after which the Secretary of State would submit the measure to voters. Fitzgibbon said that the historical practice includes the legislature choosing not to act and that the 1911 amendment contemplated that option.
Other members echoed that approach. Representative Walsh argued that longstanding practice provided for public hearings even when the legislature ultimately took no action: “Our tradition... has been that taking no action means we don't vote on the initiatives. But our tradition has been even if we don't vote on the initiatives, we give them a hearing, a public hearing.”
A recorded roll-call vote on the Couture motion yielded 38 yays, 57 nays and 3 excused; the motion to suspend the rules and force immediate hearings on the two initiatives was not adopted.
Later in the session, the House approved by roll-call a separate motion to consider the bills and other measures on the introduction sheet as first reading and refer them to the committees so designated (the clerk reported 57 yays, 38 nays, 3 excused). The introduction-sheet motion covered 15 bills and two initiatives as printed on the day’s sheet; specific bill titles and numbers beyond the initiatives referenced were not specified on the floor.
The House adjourned to reconvene at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29.
