H-1366.1  _______________________________________________

                    HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4213

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State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Mulliken and Dunn

Read first time 02/07/2001.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Amending the Constitution to prohibit courts from imposing new policy or fiscal responsibilities on political subdivisions of the state.

    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 IV of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new section to read as follows:

    Article IV, section ....  Courts of record and courts of limited jurisdiction may not impose any additional policy or fiscal responsibilities for new programs or increased levels of service under existing programs on any political subdivision of the state unless the court is expressly authorized or required to do so by law and the court finds that under existing funding mechanisms the subdivision is currently fully budgeted for or will be fully reimbursed by the state for the costs of the new programs or increases in service levels.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of the foregoing 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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