SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6571

As Passed Senate, February 14, 2002

Title:  An act relating to information about ballot measures.

Brief Description:  Providing fiscal impact statements for ballot measures.

Sponsors:  Senators Franklin, Gardner, Fraser, Winsley, Keiser, McCaslin, Hargrove, Regala, Shin, Jacobsen, Snyder, Poulsen, Costa, B. Sheldon, Kastama, Spanel, Haugen, Fairley, Thibaudeau, McAuliffe, Rasmussen, Kohl‑Welles and Oke.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  2/4/02, 2/7/02 [DP].

Passed Senate:  2/14/02, 30-18.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Gardner, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Keiser, Kline, McCaslin and Swecker.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Background:  Fiscal notes are prepared by the Office of Financial Management (OFM) when requested to do so on bills during the legislative session.  No such analysis is prepared for ballot measures or referenda.

Initiatives to the people appear in the state voters' pamphlet printed and distributed by the Secretary of State.  In addition to the full text of the initiatives, the voters' pamphlet contains ballot measure summaries prepared by the Attorney General and statements for and against the measures prepared by specially appointed committees.

Summary of Bill:  OFM, in consultation with the Secretary of State and Attorney General, must prepare fiscal impact statements on ballot measures.  The statement must include both a summary of up to 100 words and a more detailed statement of the assumptions made in order to develop the fiscal impacts.  The Secretary of State must include the statement in the state voters' pamphlet.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The more information the voters receive about initiatives, the better informed their votes will be.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Cherie Davidson, League of Women Voters of Washington; Jim Justin, AWL; Duke Schaub, AGG - WA; Mellani Hughes, AWB; Steve Gano.

House Amendment(s):  OFM is required to prepared a 50-word notice of probable impacts if the combined fiscal impact of a ballot measure is over $25 million.  The notice of probable impacts, where appropriate, may include which specific government programs will be impacted.  An emergency clause which takes effect immediately is added.