Meeting Minutes from InspireSeattle Social on September 15, 2012

Washington State has seen extensive growth in recent years of initiatives being proposed on our election ballots.  Our state’s initiative process has turned into something other than a citizen option for desired legislation.  Many feel recent initiatives have handcuffed the legislative process, and dramatically slowed true progress in resolving many extremely important issues to our state.

State Representative Mary Lou Dickerson is assembling a coalition to analyze the impact of the initiative process on our state’s revenue and legislative realities.  Mary Lou led the discussion about how we can improve the initiative process and rein in recent abuses.

Guest Speaker: 

State Representative Mary Lou Dickerson: 

Representative Dickerson was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1994, representing the 36th legislative district as a Democrat. She is currently serving her 9th term in the House and serves as the chair of the Health and Human Services Appropriations committee. She also sits on the Ways and Means committee and the Early Learning and Human Services committee. Her legislative prioritiesn include:

• security for children and families
• quality education; clean and safe environment
• safe and practical transportation solutions

Rep. Dickerson is a former director of the Bellevue Schools Foundation, former program development director for National CASA, and a founder of Treehouse.  Representative Dickerson plans to leave the Washington State Legislature at the end of this term after eighteen years.  One of her key new areas of focus will be on revamping our state’s initiative process.