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Home My WebLink Aboutord2018-021WFTA TCO M CO UNT Y CO UNCIL A GENDA BILL NO. 2018 134 CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assi Trued to: Originate.- Auditor 4/17/2018 4/24/18 Introduction Division Head: 5/8/18 Finance /Council Dept. Head. Prosecutor: l Purchasing/Budget Executive: TITLE OF DOCUMENT. Ord amend WCC 1.08 re: initiatives & referendum signatures ATTACHMENTS: Ordinance SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( X ) NO SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date: SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate. Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.) This ordinance amends Whatcom County Code Chapter 1.08 to reflect changes approved by the voters regarding initiatives and referenda. COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION. 5/8/2018: Forwarded to Council without a recommendation 4/24/2018: Introduced 6 -0, Byrd absent 5/8/2018: Adopted 6 -0, Ballew absent, Ord. 2018 -021 Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number: Ord. 2018 -021 Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing on the County's website at: www.co.whatconz.wa.us /council. PROPOSED BY: CONSENT INTRODUCTION DATE: 4/24/2018 ORDINANCE NO. 2018 -021 AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 1.08 TO REFLECT VOTER APPROVED CHANGES FOR LOWERING THE THRESHOLD FOR INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM SIGNATURES WHEREAS, the voters of Whatcom County approved Propositions No. 4 and 5 on the November 3, 2015, general election ballot; and WHEREAS, proposition No. 4 read as follows: "The Whatcom County Charter Review Commission has proposed an amendment to the Whatcom County Charter to provide greater consistency with state law regarding the wording of initiatives and referenda. This measure would amend Charter Sections 5.40 and 5.60 pertaining to initiatives and referenda and increase the word limit for ballot questions from 20 to 40 words. WHEREAS, Proposition No. 4 passed by 84.22% of the votes; and WHEREAS, Proposition No. 5 read as follows: "The Whatcom County Charter Review Commission has proposed an amendment to the Whatcom County Charter lowering the number of signatures required to place initiatives and referenda on the ballot. This measure would amend Sections 5.40 and 5.60 to lower the threshold of signatures required to place an initiative or referendum on the ballot from 15% of the number of votes cast in the last general election to 8% of the number of votes cast in the last regular gubernatorial election." WHEREAS, Proposition No. 5 passed by 50.84% of the votes; and WHEREAS, Whatcom County Charter Sections 5.40 and 5.60 were amended to reflect the voter approved changes; and WHEREAS, Whatcom County Code Chapter 1.08 Initiative, Referendum and Recall, is intended to be a supplement and a clarification of the Whatcom County Home Rule Charter, existing statutes, and Constitutional provisions concerning subject matter hereof; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that the Whatcom %Qomnty, Code Section 1.08 be amended as shown in the attached Exhibit A. 8th —day of t� d DanadBt�o v� -(�j� ,Cour -il Clerk .� e a° AP�Rp D S 0 F f�F� °fFBP99 t4�1�5'S= i Deputy Prosecutor May 2018. WHAT OM COUP C NCIL WHAT O CO N INGTON Rud B owne, Council Chair ) De Jack Louws,- ounty Exe tive Date: ® Il I- �— EXHIBIT A Initiative, Referendum and Recall 1.08.010 Purpose. A. This chapter recognizes rights reserved to the people of Whatcom County to propose certain measures at their option and to enact or reject them at an election, independent of the county council and to propose mini - initiatives direct to the county council. In addition, it is recognized that the people of Whatcom County have certain rights reserved to discharge a public official. B. This chapter is intended to be a supplement and a clarification of the Whatcom County Home Rule Charter, existing statutes, and Constitutional provisions concerning subject matter hereof. 1.08.070 Duty of the prosecuting attorney. Within 10 days after the receipt of an initiative or referendum, the prosecuting attorney, in consultation with the petitioner, shall formulate the ballot title which shall consist of: (a) a statement of the subject of the measure; (b) a concise description of the measure; and (c) a question: "Shall this be enacted into law ?" The statement of the subject of the measure must be proposed as a positive statement, be sufficiently broad to reflect the subject, and be sufficiently precise to give notice of the measure's subject matter, and not exceed ten words. The concise description must contain no more than thirty words, be a true and impartial description of the measure's essential contents, clearly identify the proposition to be voted on, and not, to the extent reasonably possible, create prejudice either for or against the measure. 1.08.090 Petition — Required number of signatures. Following expiration of the 10 -day period referred to in WCC 1.08.070, the petitioner shall have 120 days to collect signatures of the registered voters of the county equal in number to not less than 8 percent of the number of vote cast in the county in the last regular gubernatorial election. Each petition shall contain the full text of the proposed measure, ordinance, or amendment to an ordinance, and the ballot title.