BILL REQ. #:  H-4244.1 

Read first time 01/17/2006.   Referred to Committee on State Government Operations & Accountability.

     AN ACT Relating to requirements for fiscal impact statements prepared for the voters' pamphlet; and amending RCW 29A.32.070 and 29A.72.025.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.32.070 and 2003 c 111 s 807 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of state shall determine the format and layout of the voters' pamphlet. The secretary of state shall print the pamphlet in clear, readable type on a size, quality, and weight of paper that in the judgment of the secretary of state best serves the voters. The pamphlet must contain a table of contents. Federal and state offices must appear in the pamphlet in the same sequence as they appear on the ballot. Measures and arguments must be printed in the order specified by RCW 29A.72.290.
     The voters' pamphlet must provide the following information for each statewide issue on the ballot:
     (1) The legal identification of the measure by serial designation or number;
     (2) The official ballot title of the measure;
     (3) A statement prepared by the attorney general explaining the law as it presently exists;
     (4) A statement prepared by the attorney general explaining the effect of the proposed measure if it becomes law;
     (5) The fiscal impact statement prepared under RCW ((29.79.075)) 29A.72.025;
     (6) The total number of votes cast for and against the measure in the senate and house of representatives, if the measure has been passed by the legislature;
     (7) An argument advocating the voters' approval of the measure together with any statement in rebuttal of the opposing argument;
     (8) An argument advocating the voters' rejection of the measure together with any statement in rebuttal of the opposing argument;
     (9) Each argument or rebuttal statement must be followed by the names of the committee members who submitted them, and may be followed by a telephone number that citizens may call to obtain information on the ballot measure;
     (10) The full text of each measure.

Sec. 2   RCW 29A.72.025 and 2004 c 266 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The office of financial management, in consultation with the secretary of state, the attorney general, and any other appropriate state or local agency, shall prepare a fiscal impact statement for each of the following state ballot measures: (((1))) (a) An initiative to the people that is certified to the ballot; (((2))) (b) an initiative to the legislature that will appear on the ballot; (((3))) (c) an alternative measure appearing on the ballot that the legislature proposes to an initiative to the legislature; (((4))) (d) a referendum bill referred to voters by the legislature; and (((5))) (e) a referendum measure appearing on the ballot. Fiscal impact statements must be written in clear and concise language and avoid legal and technical terms when possible, and may include easily understood graphics.
     (2) A fiscal impact statement must describe any projected increase or decrease in revenues, costs, expenditures, or indebtedness that the state or local governments will experience if the ballot measure were approved by state voters. Where appropriate, a fiscal impact statement may include both estimated dollar amounts and a description placing the estimated dollar amounts into context. A fiscal impact statement must include: (a) The current percentage amount of revenue from retail sales tax, business and occupation tax, property tax, real estate excise tax, public utility tax, and any other taxes in which two percent or more revenue is received by the state; (b) the current percentage of distribution of spending from the state general fund; and (c) the percent of income paid in all Washington state and local taxes broken down by household income as follows:
     (i) Below seventeen thousand dollars;
     (ii) Between seventeen thousand dollars and thirty-one thousand dollars;
     (iii) Between thirty-one thousand dollars and forty-eight thousand dollars;
     (iv) Between forty-eight thousand dollars and seventy-five thousand dollars;
     (v) Between seventy-five thousand dollars and one hundred forty-three thousand dollars;
     (vi) Between one hundred forty-three thousand dollars and nine hundred twenty-two thousand dollars; and
     (vii) Over nine hundred twenty-two thousand dollars.
     (3) A fiscal impact statement must include both a summary of not to exceed one hundred words and a more detailed statement that includes the assumptions that were made to develop the fiscal impacts.
     (4) Fiscal impact statements must be available online from the secretary of state's web site and included in the state voters' pamphlet.