BILL REQ. #:  S-0787.2 

Read first time 01/24/2003.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to information on the fiscal and policy impact of state ballot measures; amending RCW 29.79.075 and 29.81.250; adding a new section to chapter 29.79 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that a more informed voter is a better voter. Most of the time, initiatives do not truly reveal their intent to voters and what their costs might be. It is necessary that full disclosure be made. Occasionally, initiative supporters are not aware of the unintended consequences of their attempts to establish laws by the initiative process. Therefore, the legislature further finds that the initiative process must be protected and accountable.

Sec. 2   RCW 29.79.075 and 2002 c 139 s 1 are each amended 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)) The statement prepared by the office of financial management must describe any projected increase or decrease in the sales tax or other appropriate existing state 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.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 29.79 RCW to read as follows:
     For a ballot measure that proposes to reduce, in any way, revenues for state government or indirectly for local governments, the ballot measure proponents shall explain clearly in a prepared statement which government services or programs should be reduced or eliminated as a result of the decrease in revenues.

Sec. 4   RCW 29.81.250 and 2002 c 139 s 2 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 statements prepared under RCW 29.79.075;
     (6) The service or program reduction statement by the proponents of the ballot measure;
     (7) 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;
     (((7))) (8) An argument advocating the voters' approval of the measure together with any statement in rebuttal of the opposing argument;
     (((8))) (9) An argument advocating the voters' rejection of the measure together with any statement in rebuttal of the opposing argument;
     (((9))) (10) 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;
     (((10))) (11) The full text of each measure.