Opinion ID: 1405270
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Veto Power

Text: Brower maintains that the Act unconstitutionally granted a veto power to Football Northwest in violation of art. III, § 12 of the Washington State Constitution which vests the right to veto legislation in the hands of the Governor. Brower apparently reasons that because the team affiliate could decline to agree to reimburse the costs of the special election, it had the power to veto the Act. Brower cites no authority for the proposition that a third party's failure to act to bring about an event upon which the effectiveness of legislation is contingent would constitute a veto within the meaning of the constitution. Moreover, in this case, the Legislature itself made the determination that the Act would be null and void unless a reimbursement agreement was entered. Section 606 did not allow a possibility of a second entity overriding the Legislature's intent. There is no merit to the argument that the veto power has been unlawfully transferred to a private party.