H-3872.1  _______________________________________________

              SUBSTITUTE HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4218

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State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives R. Johnson, Leonard, Wineberry, Jones, King and Pruitt)

Read first time 01/31/94.

Amending the Constitution to declare the duty of the state to provide for the well-being of children.

    BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:

    THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state there shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article XX of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new section to read as follows:

    Article XX, section .....  It is the duty of the state to make ample provision for the well-being of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex, with the same standard of constitutional priority as exists with respect to the education of children in Article IX, section 1.  The legislature is authorized to define the parameters of the well-being of children.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of the foregoing constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.

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