H-1719              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1093

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representative Betrozoff

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Education.

AN ACT Relating to levies for school purposes; amending RCW 84.52.053; adding a new section to chapter 84.52 RCW; repealing RCW 84.52.0531; and providing a contingent effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 84.52 RCW to read as follows:

          A school district may levy an additional tax under RCW 84.52.053 only for purposes of providing programs in addition to the basic education program as defined under RCW 28A.41.140.  Any program funded by an excess levy shall cease upon failure of the voters to approve an additional tax under RCW 84.52.053.  A school district may not use any portion of the money from the excess levy to pay for salary or fringe benefits of certificated or classified personnel in the basic education program.

        Sec. 2.  Section 3, chapter 325, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. and RCW 84.52.053 are each amended to read as follows:

          The limitations imposed by RCW 84.52.050 through 84.52.056, and RCW 84.52.043 shall not prevent the levy of additional taxes by school districts, when authorized so to do by the electors of such school district in the manner set forth in Article VII, section 2(a) of the Constitution of this state, as amended by Amendment 59 and as thereafter amended, at a special or general election to be held in the year in which the levy is made or, in the case of a proposition authorizing levies for support of a school district for ((a two)) up to a four-year period, at a special or general election to be held in the year in which the first annual levy is made:  PROVIDED, That once additional tax levies have been authorized for the support of a school district for ((a two)) up to a four-year period, no further additional tax levies for the support of the district for that period may be authorized.

          A special election may be called and the time therefor fixed by the board of school directors, by giving notice thereof by publication in the manner provided by law for giving notices of general elections, at which special election the proposition authorizing such excess levy shall be submitted in such form as to enable the voters favoring the proposition to vote "yes" and those opposed thereto to vote "no".

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  Section 4, chapter 325, Laws of 1977 ex. sess., section 1, chapter 172, Laws of 1979 ex. sess., section 1, chapter 168, Laws of 1981, section 10, chapter 264, Laws of 1981 and RCW 84.52.0531 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     This act shall take effect December 10, 1985, if House Bill No. ..... is enacted by the legislature and if the proposed amendment to Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution specifying the duration of levies for school purposes is validly submitted to and is approved and ratified by the voters at a general election held in November 1985.  If the proposed amendment is not so approved and ratified and if HB ..... is not passed by the legislature, this act shall be null and void in its entirety.