HB 1364 establishes a two year pilot program for citizens’ review of initiatives to be published in the voter’s pamphlet. The secretary of state chooses the panels of voters from a representative sample of anonymous electors using survey sampling methods. Once the panels are selected, the citizen’s initiative review committee (members are selected by the secretary of the senate, the chief clerk of the house, the governor, the secretary of state, and the caucuses of the senate and house) selects initiatives for review by the citizens’ panel. Each panel conducts public hearings, receiving testimony or other information from proponents and opponents of the measures. Experts are available to analyze impacts of the measures and answer questions. Each panel prepares and submits to the secretary of state statements of findings supporting and opposing the measures. These statements are published in the general election voter’s pamphlet.
After the 2016 general election, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot citizens’ initiative review program is conducted.
This act expires July 1, 2018.
State Government Committee Amendment: As amended, HB 1364 specifies that the WSIPP convenes the citizen panels and works with the Office of the Secretary of State in selecting members of the citizen panels. The period of the pilot project is changed from two years to one. Each member of a citizen panel receives a $100 per day stipend.
