2012 Revised Code of Washington
Title 43 - STATE GOVERNMENT — EXECUTIVE
43.135 State expenditures limitations.
43.135.031 Bills raising taxes or fees -- Cost analysis -- Press release -- Notice of hearings -- Updated analyses.
RCW 43.135.031 Bills raising taxes or fees — Cost analysis — Press release — Notice of hearings — Updated analyses.
(1) For any bill introduced in either the house of representatives or the senate that raises taxes as defined by RCW 43.135.034 or increases fees, the office of financial management must expeditiously determine its cost to the taxpayers in its first ten years of imposition, must promptly and without delay report the results of its analysis by public press release via e-mail to each member of the house of representatives, each member of the senate, the news media, and the public, and must post and maintain these releases on its web site. Any ten-year cost projection must include a year-by-year breakdown. For any bill containing more than one revenue source, a ten-year cost projection for each revenue source will be included along with the bill's total ten-year cost projection. The press release shall include the names of the legislators, and their contact information, who are sponsors and cosponsors of the bill so they can provide information to, and answer questions from, the public.
(2) Any time any legislative committee schedules a public hearing on a bill that raises taxes as defined by RCW 43.135.034 or increases fees, the office of financial management must promptly and without delay report the results of its most up-to-date analysis of the bill required by subsection (1) of this section and the date, time, and location of the hearing by public press release via e-mail to each member of the house of representatives, each member of the senate, the news media, and the public, and must post and maintain these releases on its web site. The press release required by this subsection must include all the information required by subsection (1) of this section and the names of the legislators, and their contact information, who are members of the legislative committee conducting the hearing so they can provide information to, and answer questions from, the public.
(3) Each time a bill that raises taxes as defined by RCW 43.135.034 or increases fees is approved by any legislative committee or by at least a simple majority in either the house of representatives or the senate, the office of financial management must expeditiously reexamine and redetermine its ten-year cost projection due to amendment or other changes during the legislative process, must promptly and without delay report the results of its most up-to-date analysis by public press release via e-mail to each member of the house of representatives, each member of the senate, the news media, and the public, and must post and maintain these releases on its web site. Any ten-year cost projection must include a year-by-year breakdown. For any bill containing more than one revenue source, a ten-year cost projection for each revenue source will be included along with the bill's total ten-year cost projection. The press release shall include the names of the legislators, and their contact information, and how they voted on the bill so they can provide information to, and answer questions from, the public.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "names of legislators, and their contact information" includes each legislator's position (senator or representative), first name, last name, party affiliation (for example, Democrat or Republican), city or town they live in, office phone number, and office e-mail address.
(5) For the purposes of this section, "news media" means any member of the press or media organization, including newspapers, radio, and television, that signs up with the office of financial management to receive the public press releases by e-mail.
(6) For the purposes of this section, "the public" means any person, group, or organization that signs up with the office of financial management to receive the public press releases by e-mail.
[2013 c 1 § 5 (Initiative Measure No. 1185, approved November 6, 2012); 2008 c 1 § 2 (Initiative Measure No. 960, approved November 6, 2007).]
Notes:
Intent -- Construction -- Short title -- 2013 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 1185): See notes following RCW 43.135.034. Findings -- Intent -- 2008 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 960): "Washington has a long history of public interest in tax increases. The people have clearly and consistently illustrated their ongoing and passionate desire to ensure that taxpayers are protected. The people find that even without raising taxes, the government consistently receives revenue growth many times higher than the rate of inflation every year. With this measure, the people intend to protect taxpayers by creating a series of accountability procedures to ensure greater legislative transparency, broader public participation, and wider agreement before state government takes more of the people's money. This measure protects taxpayers and relates to tax and fee increases imposed by state government. This measure would require publication of cost projections, information on public hearings, and legislators' sponsorship and voting records on bills increasing taxes and fees, allow either two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval for tax increases, and require advisory votes on tax increases blocked from citizen referendum. Construction -- 2008 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 960): "The provisions of this act are to be liberally construed to effectuate the intent, policies, and purposes of this act." [2008 c 1 § 15 (Initiative Measure No. 960, approved November 6, 2007).] Severability -- 2008 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 960): "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [2008 c 1 § 16 (Initiative Measure No. 960, approved November 6, 2007).] Subheadings and part headings not law -- 2008 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 960): "Subheadings and part headings used in this act are not part of the law." [2008 c 1 § 17 (Initiative Measure No. 960, approved November 6, 2007).] Short title -- 2008 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 960): "This act shall be known and cited as the taxpayer protection act of 2007." [2008 c 1 § 18 (Initiative Measure No. 960, approved November 6, 2007).] Effective date -- 2008 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 960): "This act takes effect December 6, 2007." [2008 c 1 § 19 (Initiative Measure No. 960, approved November 6, 2007).]
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