FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 2623

C 204 L 16

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning recounts of statewide advisory measures.

Sponsors: Representatives Van Werven, Bergquist, Holy and Muri; by request of Secretary of State.

House Committee on State Government

Senate Committee on Government Operations & Security

Background:

Advisory votes were established in 2008 by the enactment of Initiative 960. Through an advisory vote, voters advise the Legislature whether to repeal or maintain a tax increase enacted by the Legislature. The results of advisory votes are nonbinding and do not result in a change to the law.

An advisory vote must be added to the ballot as a statewide measure for the general election when the Legislature takes action to raise taxes and that action is either blocked from a public vote or is not referred to the people by referendum. Adding an emergency clause to a bill increasing taxes, bonding or contractually obligating taxes, or otherwise preventing a referendum on a bill increasing taxes are blocking a public vote. If the action raising taxes involves more than one revenue source, each tax being increased is subject to a separate advisory vote.

The Secretary of State must direct a recount of election results for statewide measures when the difference between approval and rejection of the measure is less than 2,000 votes and also equals less than 0.5 percent of the total number of votes cast on the measure.

Summary:

Statewide advisory votes are exempted from the recount requirements for statewide measures. The Secretary of State may not direct a recount for any statewide advisory vote.

Votes on Final Passage: