Committees
LEGISLATION AND COURT RULE
Comment Policy
The Board of Governors, the Executive Director, the Legislative Committee, or the Legislative Representative, are authorized to refer legislative proposals or proposed court rule changes to Sections or Committees of the Washington State Bar Association for their consideration; and Sections and Committees are authorized to appear before the Legislature or a committee of the Legislature, or to comment on any proposed rule change pursuant to Supreme Court General Rule 9(f), upon the following conditions:
- The Section or Committee will not take a position unless that position is the opinion and position of at least 75% of the total membership of the governing body of the Section or Committee.
- The Section of Committee shall not advocate a position in opposition to a legislative or rule proposal or position of the Board of Governors without prior written notice to the Board.
- The Executive Director, the Board of Governors, the Legislative Committee, and the Legislative Representative, shall, as appropriate, be advised on an ongoing basis of decisions, positions, and actions of the Section or Committee.
- The Sections or Committees shall represent to the Legislature or to the Chief Justice that their views and opinions are those of the Section or Committee only, and not the official position of the Washington State Bar Association unless the Section or Committee has the written approval of the Board of Governors to represent the Association.
- The Section or Committee representatives shall cease to advocate the position of the Section or Committee if requested to do so by the Executive Director, the Board of Governors, the President of the Bar, or, in the case of comment on legislative proposals, the Legislative Committee or the Legislative Representative.