Good news for the State Patrol Highway Account (SPHA)

Today the State Supreme Court found I-976 unconstitutional. This means that there will not be the projected shortfall of $31.8M to the SPHA in 2021-2023.

Although it is still projected that the impact of COVID will cause a $14.5M shortfall in the SPHA in 2021-2023 it is much better than the $46.3M total impact of I-976 & COVID combined.

GONZÁLEZ,J.— The people of our state have the power to propose and approve legislation. WASH. CONST. art. II, § 1. When the people act in their legislative capacity, they are, like any other legislative body, bound by constitutional constraints. Under our constitution, "[n]o bill shall embrace more than one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title." WASH. CONST. art. II, § 19. Initiative Measure 976 (I-976) contains more than one subject, and its subject is not accurately expressed in its title. Accordingly, it is unconstitutional.

Davor Gjurasic

Gjurasic Public Affairs

P.O. Box 12297

Olympia, WA 98508-2297

(360) 561-1923