Democratic State Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe says that she opposes a proposal to amend the state constitution to stop the secretary of state from accepting a petition for any citizen initiative that would keep the state from complying with balanced-budget requirements.
McAuliffe was not among the 34 senators who introduced Senate Joint Resolution 8201 last week.
A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both the senate and the House of Representatives. That means that 33 senators and 66 representatives must approve it to send it to the November ballot.
McAuliffe said Tuesday, “Under SJR 8201, if an initiative is filed and there is no funding source, then the initiative will not go to the people. I believe all initiatives should be heard by the people.”
McAuliffe represents the 1st Legislative District, including most of Mountlake Terrace, all of Brier and Bothell, unincorporated areas of Snohomish County north and east of Bothell, part of Kirkland, and unincorporated areas of King County between Bothell and Kirkland.
SJR 8201 came as a reaction to an initiative that voters approved at the recent election requiring state support for reductions in class sizes in all public schools but not a way to pay for it. McAuliffe supported that measure.
Democratic State Sen. Maralyn Chase was among the 34 co-sponsors of SJR 8201.
Chase represents the 32nd Legislative District, including Lynnwood, Woodway and nearby unincorporated areas of southwest Snohomish County, parts of Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace, the city of Shoreline, and a small part of northwest Seattle.
Frequent initiative sponsor Tim Eyman of Mukilteo called SJR 8201 an assault on initiatives, saying that government officials could find any initiative to not comply with balanced-budget requirements, including firearm background checks, the top-two primary, death with dignity, privatizing liquor sales, marijuana legalization, public disclosure, charter schools, $30 car tabs etc.
The Republican sponsor of the resolution and many Republican co-sponsors removed their sponsorship Thursday.
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.
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