Washblog

When most of the reforms we're talking about for the initiative process tend to be cosmetic (upping the filling fee from $5) to trying to tie the hands of moneyed interests (like banning paid per signature campaigns), its interesting to see an attempt to inject citizens back into the process. Rather than listening to Yes and No campaigns, voters would have at least the opinions of their fellow citizens to consider:

The Citizens Initiative Review is intended to allow a microcosm of the people of Washington, meeting in citizens panels, to take a close look at at least two statewide initiatives and referenda. They will spend five days doing this and then issue a report with their findings. A one-page summary of this report will be placed in the Voters Pamphlet, with the full report being available online. 

The Citizen Jury concept has worked before. In British Columbia they used one to outline a compete overhaul the province's election system, though that recommendations of that jury have yet to be put into place (wikipedia and New America Foundation).