Opinion ID: 2514000
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Is the Title of I-713 General or Restrictive?

Text: Article II, section 19 is not violated even if a general subject contains several incidental subjects or subdivisions. Amalgamated, 142 Wash.2d at 207, 11 P.3d 762. A general title is one which is broad rather than narrow. Id. In assessing whether a title is general, it is not necessary that the title contain a general statement of the subject of an act; a few well-chosen words, suggestive of the general subject stated, is all that is necessary. Id. at 209, 11 P.3d 762. Where the title is general, any subject reasonably germane to such title may be embraced within the body of the bill. De Cano v. State, 7 Wash.2d 613, 627, 110 P.2d 627 (1941). General titles are given a liberal construction and no elaborate statement of the subject of the act is necessary. State ex rel. Wash. Toll Bridge Auth., 32 Wash.2d at 26, 200 P.2d 467. A restrictive title `is one where a particular part or branch of a subject is carved out and selected as the subject of the legislation.' State v. Broadaway, 133 Wash.2d 118, 127, 942 P.2d 363 (1997) (quoting Gruen v. State Tax Comm'n, 35 Wash.2d 1, 23, 211 P.2d 651 (1949), overruled on other grounds by State ex rel. State Fin. Comm. v. Martin, 62 Wash.2d 645, 384 P.2d 833 (1963)). `A restrictive title expressly limits the scope of the act to that expressed in the title.' Amalgamated, 142 Wash.2d at 210, 11 P.3d 762 (quoting Broadaway, 133 Wash.2d at 127, 942 P.2d 363). In general, violations of the single-subject rule are more readily found where a restrictive title is used. Id. at 211, 942 P.2d 363. Restrictive titles are not given the same liberal construction as general titles and provisions which are not fairly within such restricted title will not be given force. State ex rel. Wash. Toll Bridge Auth., 32 Wash.2d at 26, 200 P.2d 467. Examples of restrictive titles were compiled in Amalgamated, 142 Wash.2d at 210-11, 11 P.3d 762: Shall criminals who are convicted of `most serious offenses' on three occasions be sentenced to life in prison without parole? ( State v. Thorne, 129 Wash.2d 736, 757, 921 P.2d 514 (1996)); `An act relating to the acquisition of property by public agencies....' ( Daviscourt v. Peistrup, 40 Wash.App. 433, 437, 698 P.2d 1093 (1985) (quoting Laws of 1971, 1st Ex.Sess., ch. 39)); AN ACT relating to the rights and disabilities of aliens with respect to land.... ( DeCano, 7 Wash.2d at 623, 110 P.2d 627). These examples indicate that restrictive titles tend to deal with issues that are subsets of an overarching subject. Thus, [s]hall criminals who are convicted of `most serious offenses' on three occasions be sentenced to life in prison without parole? is aimed at a subset issue (three-time most serious offense offenders) of an overarching subject (criminal offenders generally). General titles were also compiled: `A[n] A[ct] [r]elating to violence prevention.' ( In re Boot, 130 Wash.2d 553, 566, 925 P.2d 964 (1996) (quoting Laws of 1994, 1st Spec. Sess., ch. 7, § 101)); `A[n] A[ct] [r]elating to the amendment or repeal of statutes superseded by court rule.' ( State v. Howard, 106 Wash.2d 39, 45, 722 P.2d 783 (1985) (quoting Laws of 1984, ch. 761)); Shall campaign contributions be limited; public funding of state and local campaigns be prohibited; and campaign related activities be restricted? ( Wash. Fed'n, 127 Wash.2d at 555, 557, 901 P.2d 1028); `AN ACT to provide an Insurance Code for the State of Washington; to regulate insurance companies and the insurance business; to provide for an Insurance Commissioner; to establish the office of State Fire Marshall; to provide penalties for the violation of the provisions of this act....' ( Kueckelhan v. Fed. Old Line Ins. Co., 69 Wash.2d 392, 402, 418 P.2d 443 (1966) (quoting Laws of 1947, ch. 79, at 189)). Amalgamated, 142 Wash.2d at 208, 11 P.3d 762. The title of I-695, at issue in Amalgamated, was [s]hall voter approval be required for any tax increase, license tab fees be $30 per year for motor vehicles, and existing vehicle taxes be repealed. It was held to be general, even though it seem[ed] in part restrictive, i.e., the part which says ... [s]hall ... license tab fees be $30 per year for motor vehicles. 142 Wash.2d at 193, 216, 11 P.3d 762. This court explained that the balance of the title broaden[ed] its scope. Id. at 216-17, 11 P.3d 762. Likewise, the title involved in City of Burien v. Kiga , [s]hall certain 1999 tax and fee increases be nullified, vehicles exempted from property taxes, and property tax increases (except new construction) limited to 2% annually, was held to be general, even though there were portions of the title that appeared to be restrictive, because this court perceived that the title broadly dealt with the topic of tax relief. City of Burien v. Kiga, 144 Wash.2d 819, 825, 31 P.3d 659 (2001). Citizens argue that the title is restrictive and violates section 19 because it impermissibly contains two subjects, trapping with body-gripping traps and killing with poisons. The State and Sponsors argue that the title addresses the single subject of humane treatment of animals, that the title is therefore general, and they respond that the title does not impermissibly deal with two subjects, as Citizens contend. The State and Sponsors maintain that the title embraces incidental subjects, trapping and pesticide use. Recall the title of I-713: Shall it be a gross misdemeanor to capture an animal with certain body-gripping traps, or to poison an animal with sodium fluoroacetate or sodium cyanide? If the title of the bill is restrictive, provisions which are not fairly within such restricted title will not be given force. If the title is general, the subject of the legislation must be accurately expressed in the title of the act and the provisions of the enactment must be connected by a rational unity. See Amalgamated., 142 Wash.2d at 209, 11 P.3d 762. While the State and Sponsors advocate that the subject expressed in I-713's title is the humane treatment of animals, that description seems too expansive given that the title says nothing about that. Yet, to say the subject is narrow because the title mentions body-gripping traps and two pesticides implies that those types of traps and pesticides are a minute subset of other legal types of traps and pesticides. Such a characterization also implies there are myriad other traps or pesticides that are typically used. But portions of the act indicate that body-gripping traps are the type most often used and that there are few available alternatives to their use. For example, the act targets any trap that grips the body of an animal in some way. See RCW 77.15.192(2) (definition of `[b]ody-gripping trap'... includes, but is not limited to, steel-jawed leghold traps, padded-jaw leghold traps, Conibear traps, neck snares, and nonstrangling foot snares. Cage and box traps, suitcase-type live beaver traps, and common rat and mouse traps are not considered body-gripping traps). Thus, it appears that the title of I-713 addresses a broader subject than Citizens perceive. A more moderate interpretation, as compared to those offered by the parties, is that the title deals with banning methods of trapping and killing animals. Using the above quoted examples of general and restrictive titles to guide the determination here, I-713's title is general. I-713's title contains specific topics as well, namely, body-gripping traps and pesticides. As in Amalgamated, however, those topics are merely incidental to the general topic reflected in the title a ban on methods of trapping and killing animals. The title for I-713 is most accurately described as general and does not contain two subjects. However, even if we assume, arguendo, that the title is restrictive, it is still a constitutionally valid title. The subjects of trap and pesticide use for animals are related so as not to be the individual, disjointed subjects that Citizens contend they are. The provisions in the initiative governing the types of traps and pesticides that may be used are fairly within the subject expressed in the title.