Washington Lawmakers Abandon 'Initiative Killer' Bill

Controversial legislation to add new barriers to the state's initiative process fails to pass before deadline.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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A bill in the Washington state legislature that critics dubbed the 'initiative killer' has failed to pass before a key deadline, effectively killing the legislation for now. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Javier Valdez, would have added new restrictions on the initiative process, including barring paying people per signature and requiring 1,000 voter signatures just to start the process. Opponents argued the changes would have severely limited voters' ability to get initiatives on the ballot.

Why it matters

Washington's initiative process is enshrined in the state constitution and has long been seen as a way for citizens to bypass the legislature on key issues. The failed bill was viewed by many as an attempt by lawmakers to make the initiative process more difficult, raising concerns about protecting direct democracy in the state.

The details

Senate Bill 5973, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Javier Valdez, would have added several new requirements to the initiative process in Washington. The bill would have barred paying people per signature collected, allowed legal action against suspected violations, and required 1,000 voter signatures just to start the initiative process. Opponents argued these changes would have 'chilled participation' and made it much harder for citizens to get initiatives on the ballot.

  • The bill failed to pass by a 5 p.m. deadline on February 17, 2026 for action on non-budget bills.
  • An identical House bill had died in January 2026.

The players

Javier Valdez

The Democratic state senator who sponsored Senate Bill 5973, the 'initiative killer' legislation.

Jamie Pedersen

The Democratic state Senate Majority Leader who cited unresolved concerns as the reason for the bill's demise.

Bob Ferguson

The governor of Washington who also had concerns about the controversial legislation.

Brian Heywood

The hedge fund manager who founded the conservative political committee Let's Go Washington, which has successfully advanced ballot measures in the state.

Steve Hobbs

The Washington Secretary of State who argued that if there are concerns about initiative signature gathering, the solution should be increasing penalties for breaking the law, not adding new barriers.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, I'm disappointed. I'm trying to remain positive. I'm encouraged that a lot of them still wanted to have the discussion. We'll roll up our sleeves in the interim and hope to bring back another version in 2027.”

— Javier Valdez, State Senator (chronline.com)

“This is a hard-earned victory protecting one of the few tools voters have left to fight against an otherwise unchecked legislature. The bill's proposed penalties would have 'chilled participation' in the signature gathering process.”

— Brian Heywood, Founder, Let's Go Washington (chronline.com)

“We cannot allow partisanship to distract us from what should be our ultimate goal: Protecting citizens' rights to directly participate in our democracy. Washingtonians who came before us found this right so foundational, it is enshrined in our state constitution.”

— Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State (chronline.com)

What’s next

Sen. Javier Valdez indicated he plans to try to bring back a revised version of the 'initiative killer' legislation in 2027.

The takeaway

The failure of this controversial bill is seen as a victory for protecting direct democracy in Washington state, where the initiative process is a constitutionally-enshrined right. However, the debate highlighted ongoing tensions between lawmakers and citizen-led ballot measures, suggesting the fight over the initiative process is likely to continue.