The Washington State Legislature adjourned this year’s legislative session on March 7. Legislators passed three citizen-initiated measures into law—the most ever for a single year. From 1912, when the state’s initiative process was established, to 2023, just six Initiatives to the Legislature (ITLs) have received legislative approval. With three approved this year, the total increases to nine, a 50% increase.
An Initiative to the Legislature, or ITL, is what the state of Washington calls indirect initiated state statutes. While a direct initiative is placed on the ballot once supporters file the required number of valid signatures, an indirect initiative is first presented to the state legislature. Legislators can adopt the indirect initiative into law. Should legislators take no action or reject the initiative, the initiative is put on the ballot for voters to decide.
The state legislature passed three of them this year, and an additional three did not receive legislative votes. Those three will appear on the general election ballot on Nov. 5.
