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Republicans call SB 5973 'anti‑democratic' as debate over initiative process heats up
Summary
Reporters pressed Republican leaders about Senate Bill 5973, which leaders said would make it harder for citizens to present initiatives and would undermine the intent of the state constitution; leaders urged hearings and said secretary-of-state officials have warned against such changes.
Reporters asked Republican leaders about Senate Bill 5973, a proposal they described as making it more difficult for citizens to use the initiative process. Senator John Braun and Representative Drew Stokesberry called the bill "anti‑democratic," arguing it would hide policymaking from the public and frustrate cross‑partisan initiatives.
Carlene Johnson (Center Square) asked whether the caucus had thoughts on SB 5973. Braun replied that the proposal makes it "more difficult for the people to present initiatives to the legislature in the future" and said it was at odds with the clear intent of the state constitution. Stokesberry echoed the concern and said he had seen inconsistent messaging from Democrats who both send initiatives to the ballot and simultaneously changed rules to make qualifying harder.
Both leaders said it is appropriate to hold hearings so advocates and opponents can be heard; another participant noted that the secretary of state’s office has historically opposed changes to the initiative process and should be consulted.
Why it matters: Changes to initiative procedures affect direct democracy in Washington and could alter how statewide policymaking reaches ballots. Republican leaders framed the bill as a partisan effort to ‘‘stack the deck’’ against citizen-led measures. The press availability did not include testimony from SB 5973 sponsors or from independent legal analysts.
Next steps: Leaders said they would review testimony and follow-up with reporters; they urged committee hearings to allow advocates and detractors to present evidence.
