BILL REQ. #:  H-3642.1 

Read first time 01/26/12.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to adding an element to local referendum ballot titles; and amending RCW 29A.36.071.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.36.071 and 2006 c 311 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided to the contrary in RCW 82.14.036, 82.46.021, or 82.80.090, the ballot title of any referendum filed on an enactment or portion of an enactment of a local government and any other question submitted to the voters of a local government consists of ((three)) four elements: (a) An identification of the enacting legislative body and a statement of the subject matter; (b) a concise description of the measure; ((and)) (c) the duration of the tax, if one is being proposed; and (d) a question. The ballot title must conform with the requirements and be displayed substantially as provided under RCW 29A.72.050, except that the concise description must not exceed seventy-five words; however, a concise description submitted on behalf of a proposed or existing regional transportation investment district may exceed seventy-five words. If the local governmental unit is a city or a town, the concise statement shall be prepared by the city or town attorney. If the local governmental unit is a county, the concise statement shall be prepared by the prosecuting attorney of the county. If the unit is a unit of local government other than a city, town, or county, the concise statement shall be prepared by the prosecuting attorney of the county within which the majority area of the unit is located.
     (2) A referendum measure on the enactment of a unit of local government shall be advertised in the manner provided for nominees for elective office.
     (3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply if another provision of law specifies the ballot title for a specific type of ballot question or proposition.