Statement from House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox on veto litigation
CONTACT: Nick Jacob, Senior Public Information Officer | 360-786-5097
Statement from House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox on veto litigation
Background:
The Legislature passed the state’s two-year transportation budget, House Bill 1160, near the end of the 2019 legislative session. Six single-sentence provisions relating to public transportation grants were stricken by veto from Gov. Jay Inslee on May 21. The House Executive Rules Committee and the Senate Facilities and Operations Committee voted unanimously to file a lawsuit against the executive branch to challenge the single-sentence vetoes.
Statement from House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox on veto litigation:
“This is a separation of powers issue. Republican and Democratic caucus leaders in the legislative branch agree that the governor overstepped his constitutional authority by vetoing single lines of House Bill 1160. While the case law supports the legislative branch’s position in this lawsuit, it’s important for the court to rule so both the Legislature and governor have a clear understanding of their authority in the future.”
