H-1593.1  _______________________________________________

                    HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4217

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Simpson, Ruderman, Fromhold, Keiser, Kessler, Hatfield, Jackley, Ogden, Conway, Schual‑Berke, Lantz, Santos, Rockefeller, Veloria, Lovick and Hurst

Read first time 02/13/2001.  Referred to Committee on Finance.

Amending the Constitution to allow a property tax exemption for first-time home buyers.

    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 the secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article 7 of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new section to read as follows:

    Article 7, section ....  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the legislature may, by appropriate legislation, grant to property owners an exemption from property taxes levied for state purposes for the first four years a residence is owned and occupied by a first-time home buyer, to be applied to property owned by the taxpayer beginning with taxes payable in 2003.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of this 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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