Proposed Initiatives to the Legislature - 1997

The following is a list of proposed initiatives to the Legislature filed to date with the Office of the Secretary of State. To be certified, a petition must contain the signatures of at least 179,248 registered voters. The deadline for filing petition signatures for the following initiatives is 5:00 p.m. January 2, 1998. Questions regarding the content of initiatives should be directed to the sponsor(s).

NOTE

Initiative numbers are not assigned until the proposal has been reviewed by the state Code Reviser and the sponsor has submitted the final language of the proposed initiative. The content of initiatives is described as general "subject matter" pending the issuance of an official ballot title and summary by the state Attorney General.

Assigned Number: 196 Filed: 03/19/1997 Sponsors Mr. Donald Carter Public Contact Information: 8311 Thrulake Loop Olympia , WA 98513 Phone: (360) 456-8655	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would: limit taxes on property used as an owner's principal residence to 0.59 percent of "adjusted value"; base assessed value of property on "adjusted value" defined as the lesser of true and fair value or a number derived by increasing the 1992 value by two percent per year; permit revaluation on change of ownership; eliminate state tax on owner-occupied property; limit property tax collection; and apply to taxes payable in 1998 and after. Status: No signatures submitted by deadline. View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 197 Filed: 03/12/1997 Sponsors Mr. Thomas A. Rohan Public Contact Information: 3626 Fremont Ln N #307 Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: (206) 547-2008	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would regulate and permit the possession of hemp (cannabis or marijuana) for industrial purposes, medicinal use requiring physician prescription, and personal use by adults over twenty-one. Growing, selling, and using intoxicating hemp would be restricted to places not accessible to minors. Advertising would be restricted. Taxes would be levied on production and sale. The liquor control board would be authorized to license and regulate production, sale, and use. Criminal penalties would be revised. Status: No signatures submitted by deadline. View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 198 Filed: 03/19/1997 Sponsors Mr. Maximus T. Englerius Public Contact Information: PO Box 2622 Seattle, WA 98111-2622 Phone: (206) 322-5500	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would create an Office of Inspector General with a director appointed by the Governor for a maximum of two four-year terms. An Executive Committee would oversee and coordinate enactments to facilitate agency operations. The office would have no police powers, but would have authority to: issue subpoenas, conduct hearings, issue cease and desist warnings, require some form of corrective restitution, and issue fines for wrongdoing. Judicial performance would not be exempt from review. Status: No signatures submitted by deadline. View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 199 Filed: 03/24/1997 Sponsors Mr. Paul Keister Public Contact Information: PO Box 2009 Pasco, WA 99301 Phone: (509) 545-8654	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would permit the practice of medicine by any registered nurse who has been licensed as a nurse for ten or more years, with no further qualification, license, or examination. The practice of medicine would be the same now permitted for licensed physicians under state law. Nurses could continue to practice medicine so long as they maintained their status as registered nurses. Status: No signatures submitted by deadline. View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 200 Filed: 03/26/1997 Sponsors Mr. Scott Smith Mr. Tim Eyman Public Contact Information: 10002 Aurora Ave N #3346 Seattle, WA 98133 Phone: (206) 526-8560	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would prohibit state and local government entities from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any individual or group based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, and public contracting. It would not affect otherwise lawful classifications necessary for sexual privacy, medical treatment, undercover law enforcement, theatrical casting, and separate-sex athletic teams. The measure would not prohibit actions necessary to maintain eligibility for federal funds. Status: The measure was submitted to the voters at the November 3, 1998 general election. The measure was approved by the following vote: For - 1,099,410 Against - 788,930. View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 201 Filed: 03/24/1997 Sponsors Mr. Paul Keister Public Contact Information: PO Box 2009 Pasco, WA 99301 Phone: (509) 545-8654	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would repeal the state property tax, effective with the 1998 tax levy. (The state currently levies a statewide tax on property, in an amount not exceeding $3.60 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. This tax is used exclusively for the support of the state's common school system.) The formula for distributing forest revenue would be revised to reflect the repeal of the state property tax. Status: No signatures submitted for checking View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 202 Filed: 04/11/1997 Sponsors Mr. Patrick M. Crawford Public Contact Information: PO 161 Little Rock , WA 98556 Phone: (360) 357-7536	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would limit the salaries of elected or appointed state officials to four times the average income for Washington state citizens; eliminate the limitation period for prosecuting crimes committed by officials, and allow the revocation of their retirement rights; and establish a citizen panel to oversee the recovery of wasted funds. The measure would require the employment security department to conduct hearings with citizen panels chosen from the jury pool, replacing administrative law judges. Status: No signatures submitted for checking View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 203 Filed: 04/03/1997 Sponsors Mr. William Walker Public Contact Information: PO Box 698 Auburn, WA 98071-0698 Phone: (206) 735-8512	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would apply to Congress to call a federal constitutional convention. The purpose of the convention would be to consider proposed constitutional amendments on nationwide electronic voting. The application would require that the proposed amendment make the following acts subject to nationwide referendum: acts of Congress; court decisions rendering legislation unconstitutional; presidential actions; federal and state regulation; government regulation of the Internet. The death penalty would be imposed for tampering with electronic voting. Status: No signatures submitted for checking View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 204 Filed: 04/28/1997 Sponsors Mr. Patrick M. Crawford Public Contact Information: PO 161 Little Rock, WA 98556 Phone: (360) 357-7536	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would limit the salaries of elected or appointed management officials to four times the average income for Washington state citizens; eliminate statutes of limitation for prosecuting job-related crimes committed by officials; require polygraph examinations of government employees; and establish a citizen panel to oversee the recovery of wasted funds. The measure would also require the employment security department to conduct hearings with three-member citizen panels chosen at random, replacing administrative law judges. Status: No signatures submitted for checking. (Refile of I-202) View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 205 Filed: 04/14/1997 Sponsors Mr. Maximus T. Englerius Public Contact Information: PO Box 2622 Seattle, WA 98111-2622 Phone: (206) 322-5500	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would create an office of inspector general with a director appointed by the Governor for a maximum of two four-year terms. An executive committee would oversee and coordinate enactments to facilitate agency operations. The office would have no police powers, but would have authority to: issue subpoenas, conduct hearings, issue cease and desist warnings, require some form of corrective restitution, and issue fines for wrongdoing. Judicial performance would not be exempt from review. Status: No signatures submitted for checking. (Refile of I-198) View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 206 Filed: 07/01/1997 Sponsors Mr. James L. Morrison Public Contact Information: 1470 Mapleway Road Yakima, WA 98937 Phone: (509) 966-5734	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would repeal statutes requiring certain counties and cities to engage in growth management planning and establishing requirements for such planning. It would repeal laws applicable to certain local governments requiring land use permit review; requiring proof of adequate water to obtain a building permit; authorizing regional transportation planning; requiring low income housing relocation assistance; authorizing collection of development impact fees; and authorizing collection of real estate excise tax for certain capital improvement projects. Status: No signatures submitted for checking View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 207 Filed: 06/30/1997 Sponsors Mr. Daniel A. Decker Kaye M. Pethe Public Contact Information: 4621 NE 175th St Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 Phone: (206) 364-9797	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would exempt public education, including public libraries, from the limit on state spending and conditions on increasing taxes established in Initiative 601. It would make additional appropriations of $250 million in the current and next biennium for public schools. Classrooms with multiple grade levels would be restricted, the ratio of teachers to students would be increased and a common and public schools fund would replace the emergency reserve fund created by Initiative 601. Status: No signatures submitted for checking View Complete Text
Assigned Number: 208 Filed: 09/16/1997 Sponsors Mr. Malcolm S. Sotebeer Public Contact Information: 13702 20th Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98125 Phone: (206) 441-5085	Ballot Measure Summary This measure would create a statewide youth athletic facilities council consisting of the directors of parks and the interagency committee for outdoor recreation, and five members appointed by the governor. The council director would be appointed by the governor. The council would prepare a statewide plan for the development of youth athletic facilities and could make grants from a new account in the treasury to local governments and non-profit organizations to develop youth athletic facilities. (Revised by Attorney General 8/8/97) Status: No signatures submitted for checking View Complete Text
Assigned Number: Not Assigned Filed: 06/05/1997 Sponsors Mr. Maximus T. Englerius Public Contact Information: PO Box 2622 Seattle, WA 98111-2622 Phone: (206) 322-5500	Initiative Subject Relating to an office of state inspector general. Status: INCOMPLETE* View Complete Text