H-1378              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 26

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Tilly, Dobbs, Sommers, May, Van Luven, Bristow, Thomas, Smitherman, Brooks, Tanner, Allen, Walker, Doty, Fuhrman, Barrett, Padden, C. Smith, Addison, Zellinsky, Silver, Ballard, S. Wilson, G. Nelson, B. Williams, Isaacson, Holland, J. Williams and Bond

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

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 there shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new article, to take effect July 1, 1986, to read as follows:

Article --, section 1.             (1) General fund‑-state appropriations and supplemental appropriations shall not exceed ninety-eight percent of the estimated general fund‑-state revenue for the biennium or other budget period, as determined by the economic and revenue forecast council, or its successor, unless the appropriation is approved by two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature.

          (2) Any unappropriated general fund‑-state revenues remaining at the close of each biennium or appropriation period shall be appropriated by the legislature for the purpose of decreasing the unfunded liability of a state retirement system or transferred to the fiscal emergency fund or its successor.  Moneys in the fiscal emergency fund shall be used only upon approval by three-fifths of the members of each house of the legislature:  (a) To decrease the unfunded liability of a state retirement system; (b) to reduce taxes; (c) for capital outlays or construction; or (d) in the event of an emergency, to protect the health, safety, or welfare of the people of the state.

          (3) The legislature shall not enact any law that increases the rate of any tax, broadens the base of any tax, or imposes a new tax unless the legislation is approved by three-fifths of the members of each house of the legislature.

          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.