Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.72.027

Current through 2024

Section 29A.72.027 - Public investment impact disclosures

(1) The attorney general must prepare a public investment impact disclosure for any ballot measure that:

(a) Repeals, levies, or modifies any tax or fee, including changing the scope or application of an existing tax or fee; and

(b) Has a fiscal impact statement, as provided by RCW 29A.72.025, that shows that adoption of the measure would cause a net change in state revenue.

(2) The public investment impact disclosure must include a description of the investments that will be affected if the measure is adopted. The description must be sufficiently broad to reflect the subject of the investments that will be impacted by the change in revenue that will result from adoption of the measure, but also sufficiently precise to give notice of the subject matter of the investments that will be impacted by the change in revenue that will result from adoption of the measure. The description may not exceed 10 words, unless the fiscal impact is primarily to the state general fund, in which case the description must list the top three categories of state services funded by the general fund in the current state budget and may not exceed 15 words. The attorney general may consult with the office of financial management or any other state or local agencies as necessary to procure accurate information to draft the description.

(3) The format of the public investment impact disclosure, as it appears on the ballot, is:

"This measure would (increase or decrease) funding for (description of services)."

(4) In drafting the public investment impact disclosure, the attorney general must use neutral language that cannot reasonably be expected to create prejudice for or against the measure. The language of the disclosure is not subject to appeal, except as provided in chapter 114, Laws of 2022.

(5) The attorney general must file the public investment impact disclosure with the secretary of state no later than July 23rd.

(6) The secretary of state must certify the public investment impact disclosure and timely transmit it to each county auditor for its inclusion on the ballot.

(7) Public investment impact disclosures are not considered part of the ballot title under this chapter and are not subject to any of the legal requirements for ballot titles.

RCW 29A.72.027

Added by 2022 c 114,§ 2, eff. 6/9/2022.

Findings- 2022 c 114 : "The legislature recognizes that the people have reserved for themselves the power to enact or reject legislation through the initiative and referendum process, as provided in Article II, section 1 of the state Constitution. The legislature finds that when exercising this right, the people are entitled to know the fiscal impact that their vote will have on public investments at the time they cast their ballots. The legislature further finds that when a ballot measure will affect funding for public investments, a neutral, nonprejudicial disclosure of the public investments affected will provide greater transparency and necessary information for voters." [2022 c 114 s 1.]