(The Center Square) – Three of six initiatives from voter advocacy group Let’s Go Washington passed the state Legislature on Monday, with the fate of the three remaining ballot initiatives up to voters this fall.
On Monday morning, the House of Representatives passed Initiative 2081 to allow parents to review educational materials, Initiative 2111 to prohibit state and local government from imposing income taxes, and Initiative 2113 to remove restrictions on police pursuits.
The Senate followed suit on Monday evening, passing each one of the initiatives.
I-2081 was passed on an 82-15 vote, I-2111 on a 76-21 vote, and I-2113 on a 77-20 vote.
Unlike bills, when initiatives are passed by the Legislature, they do not have to be signed by the governor. They will take effect 90 days after the end of session, which is Thursday, March 7.
The three other measures – Initiative 2109 to repeal the state’s capital gains tax, Initiative 2117 to scrap the state’s Climate Commitment Act, and Initiative 2124 to allow certain people to opt out of the state’s long-term care insurance program – go to the voters in November, assuming the Legislature takes no action on the initiatives.
Brian Heywood is a Redmond millionaire and founder of Let’s Go Washington. He spent $6 million of his own money to organize and collect 2.6 million signatures for the six initiatives to be certified by the Office of the Secretary of State.
“Six months ago, today’s victory was unthinkable to radical progressives,” Heywood said in a news release. “They were quick to categorize all of the initiatives as ‘right-wing extremist’ policies that didn’t have a chance of passing. The 800,000 Washingtonians who signed the initiatives knew they were common sense measures, and the passage of three today proves they are just that.”
This is a developing story.