_______________________________________________
SENATE
BILL 6571
_______________________________________________
Passed
Legislature - 2002 Regular Session
State of Washington
57th Legislature 2002 Regular Session
By
Read first time 01/22/2002.
Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.
Providing
fiscal impact statements for ballot measures.
AN
ACT Relating to information about ballot measures; amending RCW 29.81.250; and
adding a new section to chapter 29.79 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. A
new section is added to chapter 29.79 RCW to read as follows:
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. Fiscal
impact statements must be written in clear and concise language and avoid legal
and technical terms when possible, and 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 web
site and included in the state voters' pamphlet.
Sec.
2. RCW 29.81.250
and 1999 c 260 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
The
secretary of state shall determine the format and layout of the voters'
pamphlet. The secretary of state shall print the pamphlet in clear, readable
type on a size, quality, and weight of paper that in the judgment of the
secretary of state best serves the voters. The pamphlet must contain a table
of contents. Federal and state offices must appear in the pamphlet in the same
sequence as they appear on the ballot. Measures and arguments must be printed
in the order specified by RCW 29.79.300.
The
voters' pamphlet must provide the following information for each statewide
issue on the ballot:
(1)
The legal identification of the measure by serial designation or number;
(2)
The official ballot title of the measure;
(3)
A statement prepared by the attorney general explaining the law as it presently
exists;
(4)
A statement prepared by the attorney general explaining the effect of the
proposed measure if it becomes law;
(5)
The fiscal impact statement prepared under section 1 of this act;
(6)
The total number of votes cast for and against the measure in the senate and
house of representatives, if the measure has been passed by the legislature;
(((6)))
(7) An argument advocating the voters' approval of the measure together
with any statement in rebuttal of the opposing argument;
(((7)))
(8) An argument advocating the voters' rejection of the measure together
with any statement in rebuttal of the opposing argument;
(((8)))
(9) Each argument or rebuttal statement must be followed by the names of
the committee members who submitted them, and may be followed by a telephone
number that citizens may call to obtain information on the ballot measure;
(((9))) (10) The full text of each measure.
