S-3676.1

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8206

BySenators Hasegawa, Chapman, Liias, Lovelett, Nobles, Saldaña, Slatter, Stanford, Valdez, and C. Wilson

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, a new Article to the Constitution of the state of Washington to read as follows:

SECTION 1 RIGHT TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE. (1) It is the obligation of the state to ensure that every resident of Washington has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate, and affordable health care as a fundamental right.

(2) The obligation of the state described in subsection (1) of this section must be balanced against the public interest in funding other essential public services, and any remedy arising from an action brought against the state to enforce the provisions of this section may not interfere with the balance described in this subsection.

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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