Three Initiatives to the Legislature will get a public hearing.

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​Throughout 2023, the people of Washington State were presented with six opportunities to weigh in on important issues facing the state. These six issues included:

1. Police pursuits (I-2113)
2. The Climate Commitment Act (I-2117)
3. Long-term care (I-2124)
4. Parents’ Bill of Rights (I-2081)
5. Income tax (I-2111)
6. Capital gains tax (I-2109)

All six initiatives received enough signatures to be certified by the Secretary of State, which means one of three things will happen next:

1. The Legislature can adopt the initiative as presented, in which case the initiative is enacted into law without a vote of the electors.
2. The Legislature can reject or not act on the initiative, in which case the initiative is placed on the ballot at the next state general election.
3. The Legislature can adopt an alternative to the initiative, and then both the alternative and the original initiatives are sent to the voters.

Currently, the Washington State Legislature has agreed to review three of the six initiatives, which may trigger option 3 above. The three initiatives being considered for public hearings include:

1. Initiative 2113, also known as the “Remove Certain Restrictions on Police Vehicular Pursuits Initiative,” is a proposed law that aims to modify the conditions under which police officers can engage in vehicular pursuits. Currently, officers can only initiate a pursuit if there is reasonable suspicion of particular violent offenses. The initiative proposes to allow pursuits if there is a reasonable suspicion that a person has violated any law, and the person poses a threat to the safety of others.
2. Initiative 2111, known as the “Prohibit Income Taxes Initiative,” is an initiative aimed at prohibiting state and local governments from enacting any form of personal income tax. It defines income broadly, potentially affecting various state programs. If passed, it could lead to the elimination of popular programs, but protect Washingtonians from additional taxes.
3. Initiative 2081, known as the “Parental Right to Review Education Materials, Receive Notifications, and Opt Out of Sexual-Health Education Initiative,” proposes to provide parents with the right to review educational materials, receive certain notifications, and opt out of sexual health education. It includes provisions for parents to review textbooks, curriculum, and supplemental materials used in their child’s classroom, inspect and receive a copy of their child’s records within 10 days of a written request, and be notified of medical services offered to their child, among other rights.

All three of these initiatives are scheduled to have public hearings by the end of the month.