Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

State Government Committee

HB 1323

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background:

Initiative 960 passed in 2007 and required, in part, that after July 1, 2011, legislative action raising taxes that is blocked from a public vote or not referred to the people, must be placed on the next general election ballot for an advisory vote of the people. If legislation involves more than one revenue source, each tax being increased must be a separate measure for an advisory vote.

The Attorney General is required to formulate a description of the measure, not to exceed 33 words, substantially as follows:

"The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, (identification of tax and description of increase), costing (most up-to-date 10-year cost projection, expressed in dollars and rounded to the nearest million) in its first 10 years, for government spending. This tax increase should be:

Repealed. . . [ ]

Maintained. . . [ ]

Information about the advisory vote must be included in the general election voters' pamphlet and must include:

the serial number assigned by the Secretary of State;
the short description prepared by the Attorney General;
the tax increase's most up-to-date 10-year cost projection, including a year-by-year breakdown prepared by the Office of Financial Management; and
the names of the legislators, their contact information, and their vote on final passage of the measure.

Names of legislators and their contact information must include each legislator's position, first name, last name, party affiliation, city or town where they reside, office phone number, and office e-mail address.

An advisory vote does not enact nor repeal legislation. It provides information to the legislature.