I-960 hearing: is it unconstitutional?

OLYMPIA — The chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee called Initiative 960 “clearly unconstitutional,” but a Republican member of the panel strongly disagreed.

“It’s clearly unconstitutional,” Sen. Margarita Prentice said after another witness argued against any changes in a law passed by voters. “The Supreme Court was given an opportunity (to say so) and it punted.”

That prompted a retort from Sen. Cheryl Pflug: “If our Supreme Court didn’t declare it unconstitutional, it’s not. It’s inappropriate for a member of this body to say we know better.”