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) An initiative to the people that is certified to the ballot; (2) an initiative to the legislature that will appear on the ballot; (3) an alternative measure appearing on the ballot that the legislature proposes to an initiative to the legislature; (4) a referendum bill referred to voters by the legislature; and (5) a referendum measure appearing on the ballot. The secretary of state shall notify the office of financial management and the attorney general when the sponsor of a ballot measure has made an appointment to submit petitions to the secretary of state for filing. The office of financial management and appropriate state agencies may begin work on a fiscal impact statement prior to the submission of petitions. Fiscal impact statements must be written in clear and concise language, avoid legal and technical terms when possible, and be filed with the secretary of state no later than July 23rd if a public investment impact disclosure is required under RCW
29A.72.027, and no later than July 31st for all other measures. Fiscal impact statements may include easily understood graphics.
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 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.
Fiscal impact statements must be available online from the secretary of state's website and included in the state voters' pamphlet. Additional information may be posted on the website of the office of financial management.