S-0537.2 _______________________________________________
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8210
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By Senator Heavey
Read first time 01/29/97. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
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 II, section 24 of the Constitution of the state of Washington to read as follows:
Article II, section 24. The legislature shall never grant any divorce. Lotteries shall be prohibited except as specifically authorized upon the affirmative vote of sixty percent of the members of each house of the legislature or, notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, by referendum or initiative approved by a sixty percent affirmative vote of the electors voting thereon. Lotteries do not include gambling devices. As used in this article, "gambling device" means: Any device or mechanism that requires individual play against the device and the operation of which results in the right to money, credits, deposits, or other things of value being created in return for a consideration as the result of the operation of an element of chance, including any such device or mechanism that, when operated for a consideration, does not return the same value or things of value for the consideration upon each operation thereof; and includes any subassembly or essential part designed or intended for use in connection with the device or mechanism. The device or mechanism includes but is not limited to: Slot machines, video pull-tabs, video poker, and other electronic games of chance regardless of whether the devices or mechanisms are connected to other devices or mechanisms. The ownership, possession, purchase, sale, transportation, manufacture, or operation of gambling devices is prohibited. Such prohibition does not apply to: Mechanical slot machines that were manufactured before 1970 and have not been used for gambling purposes by the current owner; or pinball machines or similar mechanical amusement devices that confer only an immediate and unrecorded right of replay.
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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