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SB5048 • 2026

Initiative sig. challenges

Notifying legislators of initiative signature challenges.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Senator J. Wilson, Senator McCune, Senator Christian, Senator Holy
Last action
2026-01-12
Official status
S State Gov/Trib
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Initiative sig. challenges

Initiative sig.

What This Bill Does

  • Initiative sig.
  • challenges

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-12 Senate

    By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

Official Summary Text

Initiative sig. challenges

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
AN ACT Relating to notifying legislators of initiative signature 1
challenges; and amending RCW 29A.72.240. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 29A.72.240 and 2003 c 111 s 1824 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1)(a) Any citizen dissatisfied with the determination of the 6
secretary of state that an initiative or referendum petition contains 7
or does not contain the requisite number of signatures of legal 8
voters may, within five days after such determination, apply to the 9
superior court of Thurston county for a citation requiring the 10
secretary of state to submit the petition to said court for 11
examination, and for a writ of mandate compelling the certification 12
of the measure and petition, or for an injunction to prevent the 13
certification thereof to the legislature, as the case may be. Such 14
application and all proceedings had thereunder shall take precedence 15
over other cases and shall be speedily heard and determined.16
(b) The decision of the superior court granting or refusing to 17
grant the writ of mandate or injunction may be reviewed by the 18
supreme court within five days after the decision of the superior 19
court, and if the supreme court decides that a writ of mandate or 20
injunction, as the case may be, should issue, it shall issue the writ 21
S-0079.1
SENATE BILL 5048
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators J. Wilson, McCune, Christian, and Holy
Prefiled 12/13/24.
p. 1 SB 5048
directed to the secretary of state; otherwise, it shall dismiss the 1
proceedings. The clerk of the supreme court shall forthwith notify 2
the secretary of state of the decision of the supreme court.3
(2) The secretary of state must notify the chair and ranking 4
member of appropriate legislative committees within five days of any 5
challenge to the sufficiency of the number of signatures for any 6
initiative.7
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p. 2 SB 5048