Lawmaker to file initiative related to Supreme Court ruling

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A Republican lawmaker says he’s filing an initiative to the Legislature that would require state Supreme Court justices to recuse themselves from cases if they’ve received large campaign contributions from those before the court.

Rep. Matt Manweller of Ellensburg said he’ll file the measure with the secretary of state’s office Tuesday. Under the proposed measure, a justice would be required to step down from hearing a case if his or her campaign received a donation of $1,000 or more within the past six years.

The move is sparked by a recent decision of the high court to strike down the state’s charter school law. Several justices received campaign donations from the teachers union, which was opposed to the law.

Manweller must collect at least 246,372 valid signatures of registered state voters by Dec. 31 in order to be certified.