The bill adds a new section to chapter 29A.84 RCW that makes it unlawful to publicly protest another person who is collecting signatures for, or signing or attempting to sign, any initiative or referendum petition within 25 feet of that person. The new provision is explicitly made a violation of RCW 29A.84.250(4). This is a new statutory prohibition incorporated into the existing chapter; the bill itself does not reproduce the penalties or enforcement language but makes violations fall under RCW 29A.84.250(4), so the specific consequences depend on that referenced provision, which is not included here. Key terms used in the section — for example "publicly protest," "person collecting signatures," and "attempting to sign" — are not defined in the provided text. No effective date or implementation schedule is provided in the extracted material. The bill was prefiled 12/13/24 and read for the first time 01/13/25 and was referred to the Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.

If enacted, the law would create a 25-foot no-protest zone around anyone who is collecting signatures or signing or trying to sign an initiative or referendum petition, which will likely reduce close-up demonstrations and confrontations at signature gathering sites and shift where opponents can lawfully express opposition. People collecting signatures and citizens who want to sign would have more space and likely fewer interruptions, while those who publicly protest petition activity would lose the option to approach within that distance. The direct effects fall on petition circulators, signers, and protesters; enforcement would rely on the referenced RCW 29A.84.250(4), but the bill text provided does not define key terms like "publicly protest" or state penalties or an effective date, so there is uncertainty about how broadly the rule will be applied, what exact conduct is prohibited, and what sanctions or enforcement processes will follow.