Initiative 1480, to reform Washington state’s emergency powers law
Key Findings
Initiative 1480 is an initiative to the legislature that would require that lawmakers review the governor’s powers in a public emergency after 30 days.
If the measure gains enough signatures lawmakers can adopt it next session, propose an alternative or take no action.
If lawmakers do not pass the initiative it will be placed on the November 2023 ballot, possibly with an alternative.
Starting in February 2020 Governor Inslee exercised sole emergency power for 975 days, with no review by elected lawmakers.
Washington is one of only four states that do not provide legislative oversight after 30 days, 60 days or other reasonable time limit.
Providing a 30-day limit would allow the legislature to decide whether emergency rule should continue or whether the state should return to normal democracy.
Introduction
A group of concerned citizens called Let’s Go Washington is gathering signatures for a proposed people’s initiative to the legislature, Initiative 1480, which would reform the state’s emergency powers law. The measure would implement several changes, including the requirement that the legislature review all of the governor’s emergency orders after 30 days.
Initiative sponsors need to collect 324,516 valid signatures (8% of the votes cast in the last election for governor) to submit Initiative 1480 for consideration in the 2023 legislative session. The signatures must be received by the Secretary of State’s office by December 31, 2022.
If the measure qualifies the legislature must debate and consider the initiative during the session. Lawmakers have three choices:
- They can enact the initiative into law as is (the governor’s signature is not required);
- They can take no action, in which case the initiative is forwarded to voters on the November 2023 ballot. If voters approve the initiative it becomes law;
- They can pass their own alternative version, in which case both versions, the original and the legislature’s, will appear on the November 2023 ballot. Voters will first decide if either version should become law and, if so, indicate on the same ballot which one should pass.
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