BILL REQ. #: H-0219.2
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/25/11. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
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 VII of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a
new section to read as follows:
Article VII, section .... (1) A tax increase may be imposed only
by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of each house of the
legislature.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "tax" means a charge imposed
on a person, property, or transaction for the general support of
government.
(3) For the purposes of this section, "tax increase" includes, but
is not limited to, a new tax, a monetary increase in an existing tax,
a tax rate increase, an expansion in the legal definition of a tax
base, and an extension of an expiring tax.
(4) This section does not apply to a tax that is enacted pursuant
to an emergency previously declared in law with the favorable vote of
two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature and that
expires not later than twelve months after the effective date of the
emergency declaration. The law declaring the emergency must state the
nature of the emergency.
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.