wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2085 > Original Bill

HB 2085 - Autonomous regions

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Section 1

  1. The legislature recognizes that, as western Washington has grown more urban and eastern and southwest Washington have, in contrast, remained more rural since Washington's statehood, there has followed an extreme division of philosophy and values between these two distinct regions.

  2. The legislature further recognizes that the Declaration of Independence validates that when a government fails to represent a people "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government."

  3. The legislature further recognizes that in Federalist No. 40 by James Madison, it is the precious right of the people to "abolish or alter their governments as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."

  4. The legislature further recognizes that in Federalist No. 63 by James Madison, "The difference most relied on, between the American and other republics, consists in the principle of representation."

  5. The legislature further recognizes that the national environmental policy act (P.L. 91-190, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq., as amended) defines the human environment as consisting of ecological, aesthetic, historic, cultural, social, and health elements of life in the communities.

  6. The legislature further recognizes that Article I, section 1 of the state Constitution states that "All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights."

  7. The legislature intends to divide the state into two autonomous regions, the Puget Sound region and the Columbia region, by constitutional amendment. Each region would provide regional governors, regional legislators, and regional judges. The state of Washington will remain a single state for purposes of federal elections as proposed in New York Senate Bill 2023-S3093.

  8. The legislature intends that the boundaries for the Columbia region will encompass all Washington counties east of the Cascade mountain range and bordering the Columbia river. The Puget Sound region will encompass all Washington counties bordering Puget Sound, and north of and within the Olympic Peninsula. These boundaries do not preclude counties or precincts from joining either district provided they are geographically contiguous to their chosen district.

Section 2

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    1. A joint legislative task force on the creation of two autonomous regions in Washington is established. The task force must consist of the following members:

      1. The lieutenant governor;

      2. The majority leader of the house of representatives;

      3. The minority leader of the house of representatives;

      4. The majority leader of the senate; and

    2. The minority leader of the senate.

    3. The lieutenant governor shall serve as chair of the task force. The lieutenant governor shall convene the initial meeting of the task force 90 days after adjournment of the session in which this act is passed.

    4. The task force shall:

      1. Select the members of the Puget Sound region committee and the Columbia region committee established in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, in compliance with subsections (2)(b) and (3)(b) of this section;

      2. Determine funding to support the Puget Sound region committee and the Columbia region committee; and

      3. Develop a plan for the creation of the two autonomous regions in Washington state upon adoption of a constitutional amendment by a vote of the people of Washington, based upon the recommendations of the Puget Sound region committee and the Columbia region committee.

    5. Members of the task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120.

    6. The expenses of the task force must be paid jointly by the senate and house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees.

    7. The task force shall report its plan to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31, 2026.

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    1. The Puget Sound region committee is established to evaluate the creation of an autonomous Puget Sound region in Washington. The Puget Sound region shall consist of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties.

    2. The Puget Sound region committee shall consist of the following members:

      1. A representative from community banking who resides in the Puget Sound region;

      2. A representative from the agricultural sector who resides in the Puget Sound region;

      3. A representative from the forestry sector who resides in the Puget Sound region;

      4. A representative from the transportation sector who resides in the Puget Sound region;

    3. A representative from the energy sector who resides in the Puget Sound region;

    1. A representative from the environmental sector who resides in the Puget Sound region;

    2. A representative from a federally recognized tribe that is located within the region;

    3. A representative from the office of the code reviser;

     ix. A representative from the caucus staff of each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives;
    1. A representative from the caucus staff of each of the two largest caucuses of the senate; and

    1. A representative who is a judicial official and resides in the Puget Sound region.

    2. The Puget Sound region committee shall choose its chair from among its membership. The chair shall convene the initial meeting of the Puget Sound region committee within 30 days of the final selection of the committee's members by the joint legislative task force.

    3. The Puget Sound region committee shall explore and recommend strategies on the creation of the two autonomous regions in Washington state. The Puget Sound region committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the task force.

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    1. The Columbia region committee is established to evaluate the creation of an autonomous Columbia region in Washington. The Columbia region shall consist of Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima counties.

    2. The Columbia region committee shall consist of the following members:

      1. A representative from community banking who resides in the Columbia region;

      2. A representative from the agricultural sector who resides in the Columbia region;

      3. A representative from the forestry sector who resides in the Columbia region;

      4. A representative from the transportation sector who resides in the Columbia region;

    3. A representative from the energy sector who resides in the Columbia region;

    1. A representative from the environmental sector who resides in the Columbia region;

    2. A representative from a federally recognized tribe that is located within the region;

    3. A representative from the office of the code reviser;

     ix. A representative from the caucus staff of each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives;
    1. A representative from the caucus staff of each of the two largest caucuses of the senate; and

    1. A representative who is a judicial official and resides in the Columbia region.

    2. The Columbia region committee shall choose its chair from among its membership. The chair shall convene the initial meeting of the Columbia region committee within 30 days of the final selection of the committee's members by the joint legislative task force.

    3. The Columbia region committee shall explore and recommend strategies on the creation of the two autonomous regions in Washington state. The Columbia region committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the task force.

Section 3

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