(The Center Square) – The Washington House is fast-tracking a bill that critics say is a direct response to several ballot initiatives submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office last year seeking to repeal a variety of state revenue sources.
House Bill 2459 would mandate that whenever the Legislature enacts an alternative to a certified voter initiative affecting state revenue is on the ballot, it must be accompanied with a public investment impact disclosure statement written by the State Attorney General’s Office describing specific investments that would be maintained if passed by voters.
Late last year, Let’s Go Washington submitted several initiatives to repeal the state’s cap-and-trade program, capital gains tax and prohibiting local governments from imposing their own income tax. Those three have already been certified by Secretary of State’s Office for the November ballot. When an initiative is certified, the Legislature can enact it into law or decline to consider it and leave it for the November ballot. The Legislature can also enact an alternative initiative.