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As of January 2023, Democrats control both houses of the Washington State Legislature. Democrats hold a 58-40 majority in the House of Representatives[2] and a 29-20 majority in the Senate.[3]
The Washington State Legislature traces its ancestry to the creation of the Washington Territory in 1853, following successful arguments from settlers north of the Columbia River to the U.S. federal government to legally separate from the Oregon Territory. The Washington Territorial Assembly, as the newly created area's bicameral legislature, convened the following year. The legislature represented settlers from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to modern Montana.
The Female Voting FranchiseEdit
From nearly the start of the territory, arguments over giving women the right to vote dogged legislative proceedings. While some legislators carried genuine concerns over women deserving the right to vote, most legislators pragmatically believed that giving women suffrage would entice more Eastern women to immigrate to the remote and sparsely populated territory. In 1854, only six years after the Seneca Falls Convention, the issue was brought to a vote by the legislature. Women's suffrage was defeated in a tied vote of 9 to 9 (an absolute majority, or 10 votes, was needed to pass laws). This was due to one legislator voting against this bill because he had an American Indian wife and only white women would have been able to vote.[4]
The issue over female suffrage did not diminish. In 1871 Susan B. Anthony and Thurston County Representative Daniel Bigelow addressed the legislature on the issue. In 1883, the issue returned to the floor, this time with the Territorial Assembly successfully passing universal suffrage for women.[5] It quickly became one of the most liberal voting laws in the nation, giving female African-American voters the voting franchise for the first time in the United States. However, in 1887, the territorial Washington Supreme Court ruled the 1883 universal suffrage act as unconstitutional in Harland v. Washington. Another attempt by the legislature to regrant universal female suffrage was again overturned in 1888.
After two failed voter referendums in 1889 and 1897, activism led by Emma Smith DeVoe and May Arkwright Hutton, among others, led the state legislature to approve the state constitutional amendment granting full female voting rights, which Washington's (male) voters ratified in 1910 by a vote of 52,299 to 29,676.[5][6]
Following its successful passage by the legislature, Washington voters approved the new document on October 1. On November 11, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison authorized Washington to become the 42nd state of United States. It was the last West Coast state of the Continental U.S. to achieve statehood. The modern Washington State Legislature was created.
MeetingsEdit
The bicameral body is composed of legislators, beginning the legislative session annually on the second Monday in January. In odd-numbered years, when the state budget is debated upon, the State Legislature meets for 105 days, and in even-numbered years for 60 days.[1] The Governor of Washington can call legislators in for a special 30-day session at any time. Legislators also can call themselves into special session by a two-thirds vote by both the House of Representatives and the State Senate.
Television coverageEdit
Debates within both the House and Senate, as well as committee meetings and other special events within or relating to the legislature are broadcast throughout Washington on TVW, the state public affairs network.[7] Debates can also be found on the web at TVW.org.
VacanciesEdit
Unlike some state legislatures, the Washington State Legislature does not hold a special election between general elections if a seat becomes vacant in the middle of a term. Instead, the county central committee of the political party that last held the seat in the county that contains the district nominates three candidates and the board of county commissioners chooses among them. A special election is then held alongside November general elections. Where a district spans counties, the state central committee of the party selects the candidates and the boards of county commissioners of all the counties jointly choose one.[8]
CompensationEdit
As of July 2022, legislators receive an annual salary of $57,876. The Speaker of the House and Senate majority leader receive salaries of $66,016, while the House and Senate minority leaders receive salaries of $61,946. Per diem is set at 89% of the federal per diem rate and is $185 as of 2022.[9][10]
Don Brazier, History of the Washington Legislature, 1854-1963. Olympia, WA: Washington State Senate, 2000.
ReferencesEdit
^ abHaider-Markel, Donald (2009). "Washington". Political Encyclopedia of U.S. States and Regions. 2. doi:10.4135/9781452240152. ISBN9780872893771. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^"Washington House of Representatives". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^"Washington State Senate". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^ ab"Our History". www.lwvwa.org. League of Women Voters of Washington. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^"A Ballot for the Ladies: Washington Women's Struggle for the Vote (1850-1910)". content.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^"About - TVW". tvw.org. May 11, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^"Constitution of the State of Washington, Article II, section 15" (PDF).
^"2022 Legislator Compensation". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
^"Salaries of members of the legislature". Retrieved October 13, 2022.
External linksEdit
Washington State Legislature
October 21, 2023
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This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Washington State Legislature news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations May 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Washington State Legislature news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U S state of Washington It is a bicameral body composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives composed of 98 Representatives and the upper Washington State Senate with 49 Senators plus the Lieutenant Governor acting as president 1 The state is divided into 49 legislative districts each of which elect one senator and two representatives Washington State LegislatureTypeTypeBicameralHousesSenateHouse of RepresentativesLeadershipLt GovernorDenny Heck D since January 13 2021President Pro Tem of the SenateKaren Keiser D since November 15 2017Speaker of the HouseLaurie Jinkins D since January 13 2020StructureSeats147 49 senators 98 representativesSenate political groupsMajority Caucus Democratic 29 Minority Caucus Republican 20 House of Representatives political groupsMajority Democratic 58 Minority Republican 40 ElectionsLast Senate electionNovember 8 2022 25 seats Last House of Representatives electionNovember 8 2022 98 seats Next Senate electionNovember 5 2024 24 seats Next House of Representatives electionNovember 5 2024 98 seats Meeting placeWashington State Capitol Olympia WashingtonWebsitehttp www leg wa gov pages home aspxThe Washington State Legislature meets in the Legislative Building on the Washington State Capitol campus in Olympia The State Legislature meets in the Legislative Building at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia As of January 2023 Democrats control both houses of the Washington State Legislature Democrats hold a 58 40 majority in the House of Representatives 2 and a 29 20 majority in the Senate 3 Contents 1 History 1 1 The Female Voting Franchise 1 2 Statehood 2 Meetings 2 1 Television coverage 3 Vacancies 4 Compensation 5 See also 6 Further reading 7 References 8 External linksHistory EditThe Washington State Legislature traces its ancestry to the creation of the Washington Territory in 1853 following successful arguments from settlers north of the Columbia River to the U S federal government to legally separate from the Oregon Territory The Washington Territorial Assembly as the newly created area s bicameral legislature convened the following year The legislature represented settlers from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to modern Montana The Female Voting Franchise Edit From nearly the start of the territory arguments over giving women the right to vote dogged legislative proceedings While some legislators carried genuine concerns over women deserving the right to vote most legislators pragmatically believed that giving women suffrage would entice more Eastern women to immigrate to the remote and sparsely populated territory In 1854 only six years after the Seneca Falls Convention the issue was brought to a vote by the legislature Women s suffrage was defeated in a tied vote of 9 to 9 an absolute majority or 10 votes was needed to pass laws This was due to one legislator voting against this bill because he had an American Indian wife and only white women would have been able to vote 4 A decade later the Wyoming Legislature would become the first body in the United States to grant women s suffrage in 1869 The issue over female suffrage did not diminish In 1871 Susan B Anthony and Thurston County Representative Daniel Bigelow addressed the legislature on the issue In 1883 the issue returned to the floor this time with the Territorial Assembly successfully passing universal suffrage for women 5 It quickly became one of the most liberal voting laws in the nation giving female African American voters the voting franchise for the first time in the United States However in 1887 the territorial Washington Supreme Court ruled the 1883 universal suffrage act as unconstitutional in Harland v Washington Another attempt by the legislature to regrant universal female suffrage was again overturned in 1888 After two failed voter referendums in 1889 and 1897 activism led by Emma Smith DeVoe and May Arkwright Hutton among others led the state legislature to approve the state constitutional amendment granting full female voting rights which Washington s male voters ratified in 1910 by a vote of 52 299 to 29 676 5 6 Statehood Edit With more than two decades of pressure on federal authorities to authorize statehood on February 22 1889 the U S Congress passed the Enabling Act signed into law by outgoing President Grover Cleveland authorizing the territories of Washington North Dakota South Dakota and Montana to form state governments The Territorial Assembly set out to convene a constitutional convention to write a state constitution Following its successful passage by the legislature Washington voters approved the new document on October 1 On November 11 1889 President Benjamin Harrison authorized Washington to become the 42nd state of United States It was the last West Coast state of the Continental U S to achieve statehood The modern Washington State Legislature was created Meetings EditThe bicameral body is composed of legislators beginning the legislative session annually on the second Monday in January In odd numbered years when the state budget is debated upon the State Legislature meets for 105 days and in even numbered years for 60 days 1 The Governor of Washington can call legislators in for a special 30 day session at any time Legislators also can call themselves into special session by a two thirds vote by both the House of Representatives and the State Senate Television coverage Edit Debates within both the House and Senate as well as committee meetings and other special events within or relating to the legislature are broadcast throughout Washington on TVW the state public affairs network 7 Debates can also be found on the web at TVW org Vacancies EditUnlike some state legislatures the Washington State Legislature does not hold a special election between general elections if a seat becomes vacant in the middle of a term Instead the county central committee of the political party that last held the seat in the county that contains the district nominates three candidates and the board of county commissioners chooses among them A special election is then held alongside November general elections Where a district spans counties the state central committee of the party selects the candidates and the boards of county commissioners of all the counties jointly choose one 8 Compensation EditAs of July 2022 legislators receive an annual salary of 57 876 The Speaker of the House and Senate majority leader receive salaries of 66 016 while the House and Senate minority leaders receive salaries of 61 946 Per diem is set at 89 of the federal per diem rate and is 185 as of 2022 9 10 See also EditWashington State Capitol Washington House of Representatives Washington State Senate List of Washington state legislaturesFurther reading EditDon Brazier History of the Washington Legislature 1854 1963 Olympia WA Washington State Senate 2000 References Edit a b Haider Markel Donald 2009 Washington Political Encyclopedia of U S States and Regions 2 doi 10 4135 9781452240152 ISBN 9780872893771 Retrieved December 16 2022 Washington House of Representatives Ballotpedia Retrieved December 16 2022 Washington State Senate Ballotpedia Retrieved December 16 2022 https leg wa gov History Legislative Documents HistoryOfTheLeg pdf bare URL PDF a b Our History www lwvwa org League of Women Voters of Washington Retrieved December 16 2022 A Ballot for the Ladies Washington Women s Struggle for the Vote 1850 1910 content lib washington edu Retrieved December 16 2022 About TVW tvw org May 11 2021 Retrieved December 16 2022 Constitution of the State of Washington Article II section 15 PDF 2022 Legislator Compensation Retrieved October 13 2022 Salaries of members of the legislature Retrieved October 13 2022 External links EditWashington State Legislature Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Washington State Legislature amp oldid 1177294859 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