The bill aims to enhance the integrity of the initiative and referendum process in Washington State by implementing stricter requirements for petition signature gatherers and the verification of signatures. It introduces a new section that mandates each petition signature gatherer to sign a declaration affirming the accuracy of the signatures collected, under penalty of false swearing. This requirement is intended to deter fraud and ensure that signatures are gathered in compliance with the law. Additionally, the bill emphasizes the necessity for petitioners to provide their residence address, which must match the address on their voter registration, to improve the accuracy of signature verification and reduce the risk of invalid signatures being counted.

Amendments to existing laws include changes to the language of the declarations on petition sheets, replacing "penalty of law" with "penalty of false swearing," and clarifying that signatures will not be counted if there is no address match or if required information is missing. However, minor discrepancies in addresses, such as incomplete apartment numbers, will not invalidate a signature. The bill also reinforces penalties for forgery and misconduct related to petition signatures, ensuring that violations are treated seriously. Overall, these changes are designed to protect the democratic process by ensuring that only valid signatures from registered voters are counted.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 29A.72.110, 29A.72.120, 29A.72.130