1337 AMH TAYL MURD 162

HB 1337 - H AMD 181

By Representative Taylor

FAILED 03/10/2015

    On page 1, line 13, after "(1)" insert "and subsection (2) of this section"

    On page 2, beginning on line 17, after "(2)" strike all material through "made in the" on line 32 and insert the following:

    "(a) If a port district intends to impose levies over a first or second multiyear levy period, the port commission must:

    (i) Publish notice of this intention with an explanation of the right of citizens to submit the proposition to a referendum vote, in accordance with (b) of this subsection (2), in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the district, by April 1st of the year in which the first levy in the first or second multiyear levy period is to be made; and

    (ii) Following adoption of a resolution approving the use of a first or second multiyear levy period, issue a press release explaining the amount of the levies to be imposed in the levy period, the years of implementation, and the right of citizens to submit the proposition to a referendum vote, in accordance with (b) of this subsection (2). The press release must be sent to local radio stations and to one or more newspapers of general circulation within the district. The resolution and the press release also must be posted on the website of the port district in a prominent location, if the port district maintains a website, for a period of at least four weeks, and sent to any electronic mailing list used to notify interested parties of activities of the port commission. 

    (b) If, within ninety days of the date that notice is published under (a)(i) of this subsection (2), a petition is filed with the county auditor containing the signatures of four percent of the number of voters registered and voting in the port district for the office of the governor at the most recent gubernatorial election, the county auditor must canvass the signatures in the same manner as prescribed in RCW 29A.72.230 and certify their sufficiency to the port commission within two weeks. If the petition contains sufficient valid signatures, the proposition to impose levies over a first or second multiyear levy period must be submitted to the voters of the port district at a special election, called for this purpose, no later than the date on which a primary election would be held under RCW 29A.04.311. The levies may be made in the first or"

EFFECT:   Makes the following changes to the underlying bill:

    (1) Requires a port commission, prior to imposing levies over a first multiyear levy period, to do the following:

    (a) Publish notice of the intention to impose levies over a first multiyear levy period, with an explanation of citizens' rights; and

    (b) If within 90 days of notice being published, a sufficient petition is filed with the county auditor by port district (district) voters, submit to district voters at a special election the proposition of whether to impose levies over a first multiyear levy period.

    (2) Requires a port commission, following the adoption of a resolution approving imposition of levies in a first or second multiyear levy period, to issue a press release that includes an explanation of the amount of the levies, the years of implementation, and citizens' rights.

    (3) Reduces the number of district voter signatures that a petition for a ballot proposition on whether to impose levies must contain, thereby requiring signatures of 4 percent, rather than 8 percent, of the number of district voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election.

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