Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1969 NO. 23 >

(1) Under the provision of Article XXIII, § 1 (Amendment 37) of the Washington Constitution, once the legislature has considered and agreed to a proposed constitutional amendment by the requisite two-thirds majority of the members of both houses, and has filed the proposed amendment with the secretary of state for the purpose of submission to the voters, the legislature has exhausted its power with respect to the particular constitutional amendment; therefore, the 41st legislature, at a special session held prior to the time of the election thereon, may not withdraw and amend the provisions of the proposed constitutional amendment which it has previously agreed to and filed with the secretary of state. (2) The legislature may, however, propose a second and different amendment to the same portion of the constitution as is the subject of the previously proposed amendment to the end that both amendments would be voted upon by the people at the same general election.