Drafter
Clerk 07/28/2008
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AN ORDINANCE implementing proposed new Section 800.20 of the King County Charter as set forth in Proposed Ordinance 2008-0361; establishing deadlines and procedures for charter amendments by citizen initiative; and amending Ordinance 159, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.16.020 and Ordinance 159, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.16.030.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. The King County Charter was adopted by the voters at the November 1968 general election and became effective May 1, 1969. Ordinance 159, enacted in September 1969, implemented citizen initiative rights established in the charter. The ordinance set requirements for the form and procedures for submittal of initiative petitions. It established a sixty-day deadline for submittal of sufficient signatures after approval of a proposed initiative petition form by the clerk of the council. Ordinance 13074, enacted in April 1998, extended that deadline to the current ninety-day period found in K.C.C. 1.16.030.
B. Proposed Ordinance 2008-0361 would submit to the voters for their approval or rejection at the November 2008 general election an amendment to the King County Charter establishing a process for citizen initiatives to amend the charter, which would require only one election to approve a charter amendment and would also establish a higher signature threshold than is presently required for initiatives under the charter.
C. This ordinance would extend the period for gathering signatures for citizen initiatives to amend the charter to one hundred twenty days, an increase from the current ninety days. One hundred twenty days is commensurate with the time allowed in four of the other five Washington home rule counties.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 159, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.16.020 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
If any individual, or committee of individuals, desires to petition the council to enact a proposed measure or to order that a charter amendment by citizen initiative or a referendum of any ordinance passed by the council be submitted to the electorate, ((he)) the petitioner shall file in the office of the clerk of the council five printed or typewritten copies of the ((measure proposed)) initiative or referendum petition, accompanied by the name and post office address of the proposer.
SECTION 3. Ordinance 159, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.16.030 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
A. Initiative petitions containing the required signatures of registered voters of the county as provided in Section 230.50 of the King County Charter, must be filed within ninety days from the date of approval of such form by the clerk of the council. If petitioner fails to file such petition within the prescribed time limit, it shall have no validity and the petition ((will)) shall not be considered by the council as an initiative petition.
B. Referendum petitions containing the required signatures of registered voters of the county, as provided in Section 230.40 of the King County Charter, must be filed within forty-five days after the enactment of the ordinance to be referred to the voters. If the petitioner fails to file such petition within the prescribed time limit, it shall have no validity and ((will)) shall not be referred to the voters.
C. Initiative petitions proposing amendment of the King County Charter containing the required signatures of registered voters of the county as provided in Section 800.20 of the King County Charter must be filed within one hundred twenty days from the date of approval of the form by the clerk of the council. If petitioner fails to file such a petition within the prescribed time limit, the petition shall have no validity and the petition shall not be referred to the voters.
SECTION 4. This ordinance takes effect upon certification by the elections
division manager of voter approval of the amendment to Section 800 of the King County Charter proposed by King County Ordinance --- (Proposed Ordinance 2008-0361.1).