Washington Legislature to sue governor over line-item veto

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington Legislature plans to sue Gov. Jay Inslee, saying he overstepped his authority for a series of one-sentence vetoes in this year’s transportation budget.

Lawmakers said Thursday the governor violated the constitutional ban against vetoing less than a full section of legislation.

The Legislature plans to file the lawsuit on Friday in Thurston County Superior Court.

In May, Inslee vetoed one sentence at the end of seven provisions of the budget relating to grant funding for transit services that said fuel type could not be a factor in the grant selection process.

In his veto message, Inslee wrote that the requirement was “contrary to, and in direct conflict with” statutory mandates that direct the state Department of Transportation to consider energy-efficiency issues and federal and state air quality requirements in selecting programs and projects.

Last week, Inslee dropped his 2020 presidential bid and announced he was running for a third term as governor.