Autonomous regions

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1
STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:2
THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the 3
secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state 4
for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to 5
the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new article 6
to read as follows: 7
ARTICLE . . .8
AUTONOMOUS REGIONS OF WASHINGTON9
Article . . ., section 1. The state of Washington shall be 10
divided into two regions: The Puget Sound region and the Columbia 11
region. The Puget Sound region shall consist of the counties of 12
Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, 13
Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom. The 14
regional capital of the Puget Sound region shall be located within 15
Thurston county, unless the Puget Sound region selects a different 16
location. The Columbia region shall consist of the counties of Adams, 17
Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, 18
Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, 19
Okanagan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, 20
H-2328.1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4208
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Chase, Marshall, Klicker, Abell, Engell, and
Dufault
Read first time 04/24/25. Referred to Committee on State Government
& Tribal Relations.
p. 1 HJR 4208
Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima. The capital of the 1
Columbia region shall be located within Grant county, unless the 2
Columbia region selects a different location. The Puget Sound region 3
and the Columbia region shall each draft and adopt a regional 4
constitution. 5
6
Article . . ., section 2. The legislative authority of the Puget 7
Sound region shall be vested in a regional legislature, consisting of 8
a regional senate and a regional house of representatives. The 9
legislative authority of the Columbia region shall be vested in a 10
regional legislature, consisting of a regional senate and a regional 11
house of representatives. No person shall be eligible to the Puget 12
Sound region legislature or the Columbia region legislature who shall 13
not be a citizen of the United States and a qualified voter in the 14
district for which the person is chosen. 15
16
Article . . ., section 3. The executive power of the Puget Sound 17
region shall be vested in a regional governor. The executive power of 18
the Columbia region shall be vested in a regional governor.19
20
Article . . ., section 4. Upon adoption of this article, a judge 21
of the supreme court or a judge of the superior court shall continue 22
to serve the remainder of their term pending their next election.23
24
Article . . ., section 5. Upon adoption of this article, an 25
elected county or local official shall continue to serve the 26
remainder of their term pending their next election.27
28
Article . . ., section 6. Upon adoption of this article, an 29
elected federal official shall continue to serve the remainder of 30
their term pending their next election. 31
32
Article . . ., section 7. The Puget Sound region shall own all 33
assets located within the Puget Sound region. The Columbia region 34
shall own all assets located within the Columbia region.35
p. 2 HJR 4208
1
Article . . ., section 8. Each region shall assume the 2
liabilities of the state in proportion to the region's population.3
4
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this amendment is a single amendment 5
within the meaning of Article XXIII, section 1 of the state 6
Constitution. 7
The legislature finds that the changes contained in this 8
amendment constitute a single integrated plan for the creation of two 9
autonomous regions in the state of Washington. If this amendment is 10
held to be separate amendments, this joint resolution is void in its 11
entirety and is of no further force and effect. 12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause 13
notice of the foregoing constitutional amendment to be published at 14
least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in 15
every legal newspaper in the state. 16
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p. 3 HJR 4208