Opinion ID: 2629223
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Gunwall Factors One and Two

Text: Factors one and two of the Gunwall analysis focus on the textual language of the provision and the extent to which that language differs from that of the federal constitution. Gunwall, 106 Wash.2d at 61, 720 P.2d 808. Here, the text of the clause in each constitution varies significantly. CONST. art. I, § 12 states: No law shall be passed granting to any citizen, class of citizens, or corporation other than municipal, privileges or immunities which upon the same terms shall not equally belong to all citizens, or corporations. U.S. CONST. amend. XIV, § 1 provides, in relevant part: No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Analyzing the texts of the federal and state constitutions, it becomes apparent that the federal constitution is concerned with majoritarian threats of invidious discrimination against nonmajorities, whereas the state constitution protects as well against laws serving the interest of special classes of citizens to the detriment of the interests of all citizens. [11] Because of the difference in language, this court has previously held that it should not foreclose the possibility that there may be a context where [the clause] should be independently examined. Gossett v. Farmers Ins. Co. of Wash., 133 Wash.2d 954, 976, 948 P.2d 1264 (1997). Also, the difference in emphasis between the two constitutional provisions suggests that it is necessary to analyze the state provision separate from the federal provision. Thus, one might expect that the state provision would have a harder bite where a small class is given a special benefit, with the burden spread among the majority. On the other hand, the Equal Protection Clause would bite harder where majority interests are advanced at the expense of minority interests. Jonathan Thompson, The Washington Constitution's Prohibition on Special Privileges and Immunities: Real Bite for Equal Protection Review of Regulatory Legislation?, 69 TEMP. L.REV. 1247, 1251 (1996).