Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1973 NO. 8 >

Under Article II, § 41 (Amendment 26) of the Washington Constitution an act of the legislature which is subject to referendum does not take effect until ninety days after the final adjournment, sine die, of the session at which it was enacted; a temporary adjournment of each of the two houses with the consent of the other for a set time period agreed to between them under Article II, § 11 of the Constitution will not cause this time period thereby to begin to run as to bills subject to referendum which have theretofore been enacted.

AGO 1970 NO. 28 >

Congressional and legislative redistricting plans to be completed prior to 1972 general election; may be enacted by referendum bill; continuation of 99 member house of representatives may be justified; some house districts may be multi-member while others are single member, where rational pattern is followed; population deviations not allowable on a "de minimis" basis; burden upon legislature to justify population variations; the ability of the legislature to draw lines which adhere to county boundaries appears to be very limited; redistricting of military bases related to registered voters.

AGO 1953 NO. 179 >

A referendum referring a city ordinance to the electors is entitled to appear on the ballot notwithstanding the fact that such ordinance provides that the conducting or play of certain games, which come within the purview of the state antigambling law, constitutes a misdemeanor.