FINAL BILL REPORT

                 HJR 4208

Brief Description:  Allowing school levies for four‑year periods.

Sponsors:  Representatives Wensman, B. Thomas, H. Sommers, Talcott, Cole, Regala, Constantine, Ballasiotes, Radcliff, D. Schmidt, Carlson, Clements, Dyer, Bush, Johnson, Cairnes, Quall, Morris, Keiser, Linville, Sterk, Dunn, Blalock, Hatfield, Dickerson, Conway, Thompson, Scott, Wood, O'Brien, Backlund, Cooke, Costa, Ogden, Cody, Kessler, Kenney, Cooper and Gardner.

House Committee on Education

Background:  The Washington State Constitution specifies that propositions to levy additional taxes for school operating purposes must be limited to a period of two years.  District operating levies must be reauthorized by the voters every two years.

An amendment to change the state constitution must be approved by a two-thirds majority of both houses of the Legislature, followed by approval of a majority of the people.

Summary:  A constitutional amendment is proposed to increase the two-year period for authorizing a school operating levy. Propositions to levy additional taxes for school operating purposes may be for a period of up to four years. 

The secretary of state is directed to give proper notice of a constitutional amendment to be ratified by the people.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  94 3

Senate 40 9