Question: A constitutional amendment increasing the limit of state indebtedness
#1: 1894 - SB 16 (investment of school funds)
Year: 1894
Number: SB 16
Yes: 18,884 (77.13%)
No: 5,598 (22.87%)
Question: Investment of school fund: None of the permanent school fund of this state shall ever be loaned to private persons or corporations, but it may be invested in national, state, municipal or school district bonds.
#2: 1896 - HB 57 (voter eligiblity)
Year: 1896
Number: HB 57
Yes: 28,019 (70.04%)
No: 11,983 (29.96%)
Question: Amendment regarding qualifications of eligible electors.
Failed: 1898 - HB 398 (taxation)
Year: 1898
Number: HB 398
Yes: 15,986 (32.08%)
No: 33,850 (67.92%)
Question: Proposed Amendment to Sec. 2, Art. 7 of Constitution relating to Taxation.
Failed: 1898 - SB 51 (women’s suffrage)
Year: 1898
Number: SB 51
Yes: 20,658 (40.35%)
No: 30,540 (59.65%)
Question: Proposed Amendment to Art. 6 of Constitution conferring Elective Franchise on Women.
#3: 1900 - SB 5 (taxation)
Year: 1900
Number: SB 5
Yes: 35,398 (79.77%)
No: 8,975 (20.23%)
Question: Proposed amendment to Section 2 of Article 7 of the Constitution in relation to taxation.
#4: 1904 - SB 142 (chaplains)
Year: 1904
Number: SB 142
Yes: 17,058 (60.00%)
No: 11,371 (40.00%)
Question: Proposed amendment to Section Eleven (11) of Article One (1) of the Constitution, giving the Legislature of the State of Washington the power of employing chaplains for state penal and reformatory institutions.
Failed: 1906 - HB 198 (eminent domain)
Year: 1906
Number: HB 198
Yes: 15,257 (42.10%)
No: 20,984 (57.90%)
Question: Proposed amendment to section 16 of Article 1 of the Constituion, relating to the exercise of the power of eminent domain.
Failed: 1906 - HB 59 (waters of the state)
Year: 1906
Number: HB 59
Yes: 18,462 (47.68%)
No: 20,258 (52.32%)
Question: Proposed amendment to Article XXI, Section one (1), of the constitution, which reads: Sec. 1. The use of the waters of this state for irrigation, mining, manufacturing purposes, and for the removal of timber products, shall be deemed a public use.
Failed: 1908 - HB 97 (eminent domain)
Year: 1908
Number: HB 97
Yes: 26,849 (33.74%)
No: 52,721 (66.26%)
Question: Proposed amendment to section 16 of Article 1 of the Constitution, relating to the exercise of the power of eminent domain.
Failed: 1908 - SB 161 (property taxes)
Year: 1908
Number: SB 161
Yes: 28,371 (32.02%)
No: 60,244 (67.98%)
Question: Proposed amendment to Article VII of the Constitution relating to the assessment and taxation of property within the state.
#6: 1910 - HB 14 (gubernatorial succession)
Year: 1910
Number: HB 14
Yes: 51,257 (78.32%)
No: 14,186 (21.68%)
Question: Proposed amendment to section 10 of Article III of the Constitution, relating to the succession to the office of Governor
#5: 1910 - HB 59 (voter eligibility)
Year: 1910
Number: HB 59
Yes: 52,299 (63.80%)
No: 29,676 (36.20%)
Question: Proposed amendment to Article VI of the Constitution relating to the qualifications of voters within this state
Failed: 1912 - HB 137 (county officer term limits)
Year: 1912
Number: HB 137
Yes: 67,717 (44.89%)
No: 83,138 (55.11%)
Question: Proposed amendment to section seven (7) of article eleven (XI) of the Constitution, removing the prohibition against county officers, except county treasurer, holding office for more than two terms.
#7: 1912 - HB 153 (initiative and referendum)
Year: 1912
Number: HB 153
Yes: 110,110 (71.49%)
No: 43,905 (28.51%)
Question: Proposed amendment of section 1 of article II of the Constitution of the State of Washington, relating to legislative powers and providing for the initiative and referendum.
#7: 1912 - HB 153 (effective date of laws)
Year: 1912
Number: HB 153
Yes: 79,940 (62.49%)
No: 47,978 (37.51%)
Question: Proposed amendement of article II of the Constitution of the State of Washington, by striking section 31 therefrom, which relates to the time when laws take effect.
#8: 1912 - HB 62 (recall elections)
Year: 1912
Number: HB 62
Yes: 112,321 (70.78%)
No: 46,372 (29.22%)
Question: Proposed amendment to article one (1) of the Constitution, by adding thereto at the end of said article one (1) two new sections to be numbered sections 33 and 34 of said article one (1) authorizing and providing for the recall and discharge of any elective public officer and election of his successor.
Question: An amendment of Section 33, Article 2 of the State Constitution, enabling alien residents of this state to acquire by purchase and hold lands lying within municipal corporations, and providing for the escheat of such lands to the common school fund in case the owner thereof becomes a non-resident of the state for the term of five year.
Question: An Act providing for the amendment of section 1 of article VI of the Constitution of the State of Washington, relating to the qualification of voters.
Question: Resolved, By the Legislature of the State of Washington that it is deemed necessary to call a convention to revise or amend the State Constitution. THEREFORE, It is hereby declared and recommended that the electors of the State of Washington, at the next general election, to be held on the Tuesday next succeeded the first Monday in November, 1918, shall vote for or against a convention to revise or amend the Constitution of the State.
Question: An Act for the amendment of sections 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 and 22, article 3, of the state constitution by fixing the annual salaries of certain state officers as follows: Governor, ten thousand dollars; lieutenant governor, two thousand five hundred dollars; secretary of state, five thousand dollars; treasurer, five thousand dollars; auditor, five thousand dollars; attorney general, six thousand dollars; superintendent of public instruction, five thousand dollars.
Question: An Act providing for the amendment of section 16, article 1 of the state constitution relating to eminent domain by declaring that the taking of private property by the state for land reclamation and settlement is a public use.
Question: An Act amending section 22 of article I of the State Constitution by providing that the trial of a person accused of a public offense committed on any railway car, coach, train, boat or other public conveyance may be had in any county through which such conveyance may pass.
Question: An Act amending section 4 of article VIII of the State Constitution by providing that payments from state appropriations should be made within one calendar month after the end of the next ensuing fiscal biennium.
Question: An Act amending section 23 of article II of the State Constitution relating to compensation to be paid members of the legislature by increasing the compensation of such members from $5.00 to $10.00 a day for each day’s attendance during the session.
Question: An Amendment of section 5, article XI of the State Constitution relating to county officers, by providing that the legislature may classify counties by population and provide for the election of officers in certain classes of counties who shall perform the duties of two or more county officers.
Question: An Amendment of section 1 of article XV of the State Constitution relating to harbor lines and areas, by providing that harbor lines may be relocated or reestablished and that none of the area lying between any harbor line and the line of ordinary high water and within not more than two thousand (2,000) feet of any harbor line shall be sold or the right to the control thereof relinquished by the state.
Question: An Act relating to forestation and reforestation and the assessment and taxation of lands devoted to that purpose and the assessment and taxation of the products of such lands, and providing for an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Washington.
Question: An Act providing for the amendment of Section 23 of Article II, of the Constitution of the State of Washington, relating to the compensation of members of the Legislature.
Question: An amendment of Article VII of the state constitution relating to revenue and taxation, by striking sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 and inserting in lieu thereof a single section reenacting certain provisions of the sections stricken and providing that property may be classified for the purpose of taxation.
Question: AN AMENDMENT of Article VII of the state constitution relating to revenue and taxation by striking sections 1, 2, 3, and 4, and inserting in lieu thereof a single section re-enacting certain provisions of the sections stricken; providing that property may be classified for the purpose of taxation; requiring the taxation of intangible property subject to ownership; constituting real property a single class for taxing purposes; authorizing the taxation of mines, mineral resources, and reforested lands by a yield or ad valorem tax or both, and exempting credits secured by property actually taxed in this state.
Question: An Amendment of section 15, Article II of the state constitution relating to vacancies in the legislature, by providing that such vacancies shall be filled by appointment by boards of county commissioners, and prescribing the tenure of office of persons so appointed.
Question: Shall section 23 of article 2 of the Constitution be amended so that it shall provide that the members of the legislature shall receive an annual salary of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).
Question: AN AMENDMENT of section 1, Article XV of the constitution, relating to harbors and harbor areas, by authorizing the relocation or reestablishment of harbor lines pursuant to such provision as may be made therefore by the legislature and extending the permissible maximum width of harbor areas from 600 to 2,000 feet.
Question: AN AMENDMENT of sections 2, 3 and 6, Article II and sections 1 and 2, Article XXII of the constitution, relating to the legislature, by fixing the number of members thereof and reapportioning the same until and including the regular session of 1941, providing that thereafter the legislature shall reapportion its members upon the basis of each federal census and that if the legislature fails to act such reapportionment shall be performed by the governor and providing for the election and terms of office of senators.
Question: An Amendment of section 4, Article IV of the constitution, relating to the jurisdiction of the supreme court, by providing that the legislature may from time to time increase the original amount in controversy or the value of the property which shall be requisite to confer appellate jurisdiction in civil actions for the recovery of money or personal property except in certain cases.
Question: Shall section 23 of Article 2 of the constitution be amended so that it shall provide that the members of the legislature shall receive an annual salary of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).
Question: A resolution amending section 1 of Article VII of the constitution by providing that all taxes shall be uniform upon the same class of subjects within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax and shall be levied and collected for public purposes only; providing that there shall be such exemptions from taxation as the legislature may by general law provide; and providing that nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prevent the enactment of a graduated net income tax law.
Question: A resolution amending section 12 of Article XI of the constitution by providing that the legislature shall have no power to impose taxes upon counties, cities, towns or other municipal corporations, or upon the inhabitants or property thereof, for county, city, town or other municipal purposes, but by general law may limit such taxes and may supervise and control the valuing of property for local taxation and the administration of laws relating to such taxation, and may apportion state funds among counties, cities, towns and other municipal corporations.
Question: A Proposal authorizing the state of Washington to engage in the production and wholesale distribution, only, of electric energy; to assist the development of hydro-electric generating plants; to incur indebtedness by the issuance of bonds; providing for a commission and power districts, but not denying to any municipality, power district or political subdivision of the state the right to control its own utilities nor preventing the state from furnishing electric energy to its institutions and departments.
Question: A proposal to amend section 23, article II of the constitution by providing that each member of the legislature shall receive five dollars per day for expenses in addition to five dollars per day for services, and mileage, now provided.
Question: A Proposal to repeal section 12, article XI and amend sections 1 and 9, article VII of the constitution by providing: uniform taxation upon the same class of subjects; that the legislature may provide exemptions and graduated net income tax, may vest municipalities with power to make local improvements by special assessment or taxation; cannot require counties or municipalities to tax for county or municipal purposes but may under legislative restiction, vest them with such authority.
Question: A Proposal to amend Section 1, Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Washington relating to taxation by providing that nothing contained in said section shall be construed to prevent the enactment of a graduated net income tax law.
Question: A RESOLUTION amending Article III of the State Constitution by adding a new section, to be known as Section 26, Providing that the people, by initiative, or the legislature by appropriate enactment, may fix, change, raise or lower the salary of any constitutional officer of the state, including members of the legislature, but limiting the salary of legislators to fifty dollars per month, and repealing all constitutional salary limitations.
Question: A Resolution amending the Constitution of the State of Washington by repealing section 7 of Article XI which section limits the tenure of county officers to two successive terms.
Question: A resolution amending Section 11, Article XII of State Constitution authorizing legilature to provide that stockholders of banks organized under laws of this state which shall provide and furnish, through membership in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other instrumentality of the United States Government, insurance or security for payment of debts equivalent to requirements furnished by national banks be relieved from personal liability to same extent as stockholders in national banks, under federal law.
Question: A Proposal to amend Article VII of the Constitution by adding a new section, section 2, providing that income shall not be construed as property for the purpose of taxation, and empowering the legislature to enact graduated net income taxes, and to provide exemptions, offsets and deductions.
Question: Proposed amendement to Article VII of Constitution, adding section limiting aggregate annual levy of taxes on real and personal property to forty mills; exempting port and public utility districts; defining taxing districts; authorizing exceeding of limitation in certain cases by vote of electors; authorizing refunding of certain bonds by certain taxing districts outside of limitation by vote of governing body; subjecting amendment to Article VIII, Section 6, of Constitution; and making other exceptions.
Question: Proposed amendment to Article II of the Constitution, by adding a new section to be known as Section 40, limiting exclusively to highway purposes the use of motor vehicle license fees, excise taxes on motor fuels and other revenue intended for highway purposes only; providing for their payment into a special fund of the State Treasury; defining highway purposes; and excepting from its provisions certain other designated fees and taxes.
#19: 1946 - HJR 9 (taxation of federal government)
Question: A proposed amendment to the state constitution to permit the state to tax the United States and its instrumentalities to the extent that the laws of the United States will allow.
Question: PROPOSED AMENDMENT to the Constitution permitting the formation, under a charter, of combined city and county municipal corporations having a population of 300,000 or more.
Question: Proposed Amendment to the Constitution repealing Section 7, Article XI, which existing section renders any county officer ineligible to hold his office more than two terms in succession.
Question: Shall Section 6, Article VIII of the Constitution be amended to permit school districts to become indebted when authorized by popular vote up to an additional 5% of assessed valuation for capital outlays?
Question: Shall Article II, Section 33 of the Constitution be amended to permit ownership of land by Canadians who are citizens of provinces wherein citizens of this state may own land?
Question: Shall Article IV, section 6 of the Constitution be amended to permit superior courts to have original jurisdiction in all eases where the controversy amounts to one thousand dollars or a lesser sum in excess of the jurisdiction granted inferior courts; and shall Article IV, section 10 of the Constitution be amended to permit justices of the peace to have original jurisdiction where the controversy amounts to less than three hundred dollars or such greater sum not to exceed one thousand dollars?
Question: Shall Article IV of the Constitution be amended by adding a new section to provide that judges of the supreme court and superior courts shall retire at the age of seventy-five but permitting the legislature to prescribe a lesser age or other causes for retirement?
Question: Shall Article VIII, section 6 of the Constitution be amended to permit school districts to become indebted when authorized by popular vote up to an additional five per cent of assessed valuation for capital outlays?
#26: 1952 - SJR 7 (initiative amendment and repeal)
Question: Shall Article II of the Constitution be amended by adding a new section to provide that no act approved by the people shall be amended or repealed by the legislature within two years following such approval except by a vote of two-thirds of all members of the legislature or by a direct vote of the people at any general or special election thereon?
Question: ALIEN LAND OWNERSHIP; CORPORATION AMENDMENT. Shall Article II, section 33 as amended by Amendment 24 of the Constitution of the State of Washington, be amended by redefining “alien”, thereby permitting the legislature to determine the policy of the state respecting the ownership of land by corporations having alien shareholders?
Question: IMMEDIATE POSSESSION UPON COURT DEPOSIT Shall Article I, Section 16, of the Constitution as amended by Amendment 9, be further amended to permit the state, in an eminent domain proceeding, upon filing the action to take immediate possession of the property after payment into court before trial of such amount as provided by law?
Question: FILLING VACANCIES IN STATE LEGISLATURE Shall the 13th Amendment of the Constitution be amended to provide that vacancies in the Legislature shall be filled by the county commissioners from an approved list submitted by the county central committee of the political party of the preceding legislator; and in the event it be a joint district, from lists submitted by the state central committee for joint action by county commissioners involved; providing for failure to appoint within sixty days, the Governor shall fill vacancy from said list?
Question: REGULATING PENSIONS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS Shall Article II, Section 25, of the Constitution be amended to provide that pensions paid by the state or any political subdivision thereof, to a public official, may be increased during his term in office?
Question: INCREASING SIGNATURES: INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM Shall a new section be added to Article II of the Constitution which will supersede requirements specified in Section 1 thereof by providing that the valid signatures of eight per centum of the number of registered voters voting for Governor in the last election shall be necessary to certify an initiative and that four per centum shall be necessary to certify a referendum of an act of the Legislature?
Question: SUCCESSIVE TERMS FOR STATE TREASURER Shall Article III, Section 25, of the Constitution be amended to remove the present restriction prohibiting the state treasurer from being elected for more than one successive term?
Question: SCHOOL DISTRICTS: INCREASING LEVY PERIODS Shall the state constitution be amended to permit school district electors to authorize excess tax levies at a specified maximum rate for up to two years for operation and/or up to six years for capital outlay, if the proposition or propositions therefor shall be approved by a three-fifths majority, and the number of electors voting thereon constitutes not less than forty percentum of the votes cast at the last preceding general election in such district?
Question: STATE BOUNDARIES: MODIFICATION BY COMPACT Shall Article XXIV, Section 1 of the state constitution be amended to authorize the modification of the boundaries of the state of Washington by appropriate interstate compacts duly approved by the Congress of the United States?
Question: REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL REAPPORTIONMENT Shall the state consitution be amended to provide that, upon the legislature’s failure to reapportion its members and to revise legislative and congressional district boundaries after each federal census, or to revise congressional district boundaries after each congressional reapportionment, such redistricting and/or reapportionment shall be undertaken by a seven-member commission, including one each from labor, industry and agriculture appointed by the governor, the secretary of state, a supreme court judge, and two state legislators, one from each major party?
Question: Shall Article I, Section 11 of the state constitution as amended by Amendment 4 be further amended to provide that the legislature may authorize the employment by the state of a chaplain for such of the state custodial, correctional and mental institutions as seems justified to the legislature?
#35: 1958 - SJR 18 (public employee extra compensation)
Question: PENSIONS AND EMPLOYEES’ EXTRA COMPENSATION Shall Article II, Section 25 of the state constitution be amended to prohibit the legislature from granting any extra compensation to any public employee after the services have been rendered or the contract entered into and to provide that Article II, Section 25 shall not be deemed to prevent increases in pensions after such pensions have been granted?
Failed: 1958 - SJR 9 (1) (elected official salaries)
Question: COMPENSATION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS Shall the state constitution be amended to provide that the legislature may increase or decrease the compensation of all elected officials of the state and all elected officials of the counties and that any such change in compensation shall be effective immediately; subject to the people’s power of referendum?
Question: STATE LEGISLATORS: COMPENSATION & ELIGIBILITY Shall the state constitution be amended so as to allow a member of the legislature to be appointed or elected to a civil office created, or the emoluments of which have been increased, during the term for which he was elected?
Question: Shall the constitutional restriction upon the ownership of land in the State of Washington by aliens be removed by repealing Section 33, Article II as amended by Amendments 24 and 29 of the State Constitution?
Question: Shall the State Constitution be amended to permit city and town voters to authorize tax levies in excess of the 40-mill limit at a specified maximum rate for up to four years for capital outlay, if the proposition or propositions be approved by a three-fifths majority and the number of voters voting thereon constitutes not less than forty percent of the votes cast at the last preceding general election in such city or town?
Question: Shall Article VI, Section 1 of the State Constitution relating to qualifications of voters be amended to reduce the periods of state and county residence required for voting at all elections; eliminate disqualification from voting by Indians not taxed, and allow citizens intending to make this state their permanent residence to vote for presidential electors or President and Vice-President of the United States, after sixty days’ residence?
Question: Shall Article IV of the State Constitution be amended by adding a new section providing that when necessary for the prompt and orderly administration of justice a majority of the supreme court is empowered to authorize judges of courts of record in this state to perform, temporarily, judicial duties in the supreme court, and to authorize any superior court judge to perform judicial duties in any superior court of this state?
Question: Shall Article II of the State Constitution be amended by adding a section empowering and directing the legislature to provide a method of temporary succession to elected and appointive offices when because of an emergency resulting from enemy attack the incumbents are unavailable to act and further empowering the legislature to depart from certain constitutional provisions if, in discharging this duty, the emergency renders compliance impracticable?
Question: Shall the State Constitution be amended to permit school district voters to authorize tax levies in excess of the 40-mill limit at a specified maximum rate for up to four years for operations and/or capital outlay, if the proposition or propositions be approved by a three-fifths majority, and the number of voters voting thereon constitutes not less than forty percent of the votes cast at the last preceding general election in such district?
Question: Shall the constitutional restriction upon the ownership of land in the State of Washington by certain non-citizens be removed by repealing Section 33, Article II, as Amendments 24 and 29 of the State Constitution?
Question: Shall Section 1, Article XXIII, of the State Constitution requiring publication of the text of each proposed constitutional amendment in a weekly newspaper in each county for three months prior to the election, be amended so as to require only that notice of the proposed constituional amendment be published at least four times during the four weeks preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state?
Question: Shall Article II, Section 1, Amendment 7 of the State Constitution which presently directs the Secretary of State to send each registered voter a copy of the voters’ pamphlet (a publication containing the laws and constitutional amendments referred to the people together with arguments for and against each measure) be amended so as to require only mailing to each individual place of residence, together with such other distribution as the Secretary of State deems necessary?
Question: Shall Article XI, section 10, of the State Constitution, which provides for the incorporation, organization and classification of cities, and allows certain cities to frame charters for their own government consistent with general state laws, be amended in the following respects: (1) Changing from 20,000 to 10,000 the minimum population of cities which may frame such charters; (2) Changing newspaper publication requirements for proposed charters; (3) Providing that notices of elections be given as required by law?
#48: 1966 - HJR 39 (notice of debt authorization elections)
Question: Shall Article VIII, section 3 of state constitution, requiring the publication, in a newpaper in each county for three months prior to the election, of the text of any law to be voted upon by the people authorizing state debts, be amended so as to require only that notice of the law be published at least four times during the four weeks preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state?
Question: Shall Article VI of the state constitution be amended to allow United States citizens meeting all constitutional qualifications for voting in the state, except for length of residence, to vote at a United States presidential election solely for presidential electors or for the office of president and vice president if they (1) Intend to make this state their permanent residence; and (2) Have resided in the state at least sixty days immediately preceding the particular presidential election?
Question: Shall Article VII of the state constitution be amended to authorize the legislature to grant relief from property taxes on real property owned and occupied as a residence by retired persons, subject to such restrictions and conditions as the legislature may establish, including but not limited to level of income and length of residence?
Question: Shall the limitation on the ownership of land in the State of Washington by certain non-citizens be removed by repealing section 33, Article II, as amended by Amendments 24 and 29 of the state constitution?
#43: 1966 - SJR 22 (1) (common school construction fund)
Question: Shall Article IX, section 3, of the state constitution be amended to establish a common school construction fund to be used to finance common school construction, with funds to be derived from (1) certain proceeds from timber and other crops from school and state lands, (2) certain interest, rentals and revenues from the permanent common school fund and from lands devoted to the permanent common school fund, and (3) such other sources as the legislature may provide?
#44: 1966 - SJR 22 (2) (investment of school fund)
Question: Shall Article XVI, section 5, (Amendment 1) of the state constitution, restricting investment of the state’s permanent school fund to national, state, county, municipal or school district bonds, be amended by removing this restriction and thereby permitting the permanent school fund to be invested in such manner as may be authorized by act of the legislature?
Question: Shall Article VIII of the state constitution be amended to declare that the use of public funds by port districts, in such manner as may be prescribed by the legislature, for industrial development or trade promotion and promotional hosting shall be deemed a public use for a public purpose and shall not be deemed an unconstitutional gift of public funds?
Question: Shall Article IV of the state constitution be amended to provide that where only one candidate has filed for a superior court judge position in a county of 100,000 or more inhabitants, or where after a contested primary in any county only one such candidate is entitled to appear on the general election ballot, certification of election shall issue to such candidate without a further election, unless a write-in campaign is to be conducted?
Question: Shall Article VII of the State Constitution be amended by adding a section authorizing the legislature to provide that farms, agricultural lands, standing timber and timberlands, and other open space lands used for recreation or enjoyment of their scenic or natural beauty, shall be valued for purposes of taxation on the basis of the use to which such property currently is being applied, rather than on the highest and best use?
Question: Shall the State Constitution be amended by adding a new article permitting the compensation of all elected and appointed state, county and municipal officers who do not fix their own compensation (including judges of courts of record and justice courts), to be increased during their terms of office to the end that such officials shall receive compensation for their services as provided by the law in effect at the time the services are being rendered?
Question: Shall Article VIII of the State Constitution be amended by adding a new section authorizing creation by the legislature of a state building authority to construct buildings and improvements for lease to state agencies or departments for up to seventy-five years, and to finance such construction through issuance of bonds or other evidences of indebtedness to be paid from the authority’s revenues which would not be subject to the constitutional debt limitation?
Question: Shall the State constitution be amended to permit taxing districts, if authorized by the legislature, to submit propositions for property tax levies exceeding the forty-mill limit to their voters up to 24 months before the levy date, thereby permitting two consecutive annual excess levies to be approved at one election; and authorizing submission of a second propostion in any twelve-month period only if it is substituted for the excess levy previously approved for that year?
Question: Shall the State Constitution be amended to provide for filling vacancies in legislative or partisan county elective offices as follows: (1) the county commissioners of the county affected shall appoint a person from the same legislative, county or county commissionaer district and political party as the officer whose office has been vacated; (2) On failure of the county commissioners to so appoint within sixty days, the governor shall within thirty days appoint a person similarly qualified?
#49: 1968 - SJR 5 (investment of retirement funds)
Question: Shall the Constitution of the state of Washington be amended by adding a new article and section permitting the moneys of any public pension or retirement fund to be invested in such manner as may be authorized by law?
Question: Shall the State Constitution be amneded to provide for establishment by the legislature of a state court of appeals with such jurisdiction as may be granted by statute or rules as authorized thereby; providing that the number, manner of election, compensation, term of office, removal and retirement of judges of such court shall be prescribed by statute; and providing that the administration and procedures of the court shall be prescribed by supreme court rules?
Question: Shall the state constitution be amended to reduce the maximum allowable rate of taxation against property to 1 percent of true and fair value in the absence of authorized excess levies, and to permit the legislature to tax income at a single rate without regard to this limitation or, after 1975, at a graduated rate if the voters in that year or thereafter approve the removal of the single rate limitation?
Question: Shall Article VI, Section 1 of the state Constitution be amended to reduce from 21 years to 19 years the age at which an otherwise qualified person shall be entitled to vote and to remove currently inoperative language pertaining to the voting qualifications of certain citizens?
Question: TAX EXEMPTIONS - PERIODIC REVIEW - REPEAL Shall the state constitution be amended to require periodic legislative review of all exemptions, deductions, exclusions from, or credits against any state or local taxes (except those concerning property held by religious organizations solely for religious or educational purposes) and to repeal automatically the statutory or constitutional provisions granting them unless such provisions are amended or reenacted by the legislature or (where necessary) reapproved by the people before March 1, 1977, and every tenth year thereafter?
Question: ALLOWING COMBINED COUNTY-CITY GOVERNMENTS Shall the state constitution be amended to permit the people in any country by majority vote to create a combined “city-county” government through the adoption of a home rule charter under which other municipal corporations having such powers and duties as are prescribed in the charter could also be retained or established, if desired, and to set separate constitutional debt limitations for the “city-county” as thus created and for any new or retained municipal corporations?
Question: CHANGING EXCESS LEVY ELECTION FORMULA Shall the formula governing certain excess property tax levies approved by sixty percent of the voters be changed so the election authorizing the levy will be valid either–(1) if (as now) the total of all votes cast on the proposition is at least forty percent of the number cast at the taxing district’s last general election; or (2) if the total of “yes” votes is at least three-fifths of forty percent of that number of voters?
Question: CHANGING CONSTITUTIONAL DEBT LIMITATION FORMULA Shall the present $400,000 limitation upon certain state debts incurred without voter approval be replaced with a limitation allowing those debts covered by the amendment only if–(1) their aggregate amount will not require annual principal and interest payments to exceed 9% of the average amount of general state revenues for the three immediately preceding fiscal years; and (2) the laws authorizing such debts are approved by a three-fifths majority of both houses of the legislature?
Question: SEX EQUALITY - RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Shall a new article be added to the state constitution to provide that equality of rights and responsibilities under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex, and to authorize the legislature to enforce this provision by the enactment of appropriate legislation?
Question: PROPERTY TAXATION - ONE PERCENT LIMITATION Shall the state constitution be amended to replace the present forty mill limit upon those property taxes which are imposed without voter approval (in effect a limitation of two percent of the true and fair value of the taxable property) with a new provision under which the maximum allowable rate for such property taxes would be one percent of the true and fair value of the property?
Question: SETTING OF COUNTY OFFICERS’ SALARIES Shall the state constitution be amended to allow the legislature to authorize boards of county commissioners and other county legislative authorities to set their own salaries and those of all other county officers, subject to the existing prohibition against mid-term pay increases for those officers who fix their own compensation?
Question: PERMITTING THE AUTHORIZATION OF LOTTERIES Shall Article II, section 24 of the state constitution be amended to repeal the present total prohibition against any lottery of any sort to be conducted after there has been specific authorization by (1) an act of the legislature approved by sixty percent of the members of both houses or (2) an initiative or referendum approved by sixty percent of the electors voting thereon?
Question: May the legislature authorize urban development or redevelopment financing from property taxes attributable to increased valuations resulting from such projects?
Question: Shall Washington’s constitution be amended to permit government assistance for students of all educational institutions - limited by the federal constitution?
Question: Shall the constitutional provision that transportation charges to given destinations may never exceed charges to more distant destinations be repealed?
Question: Shall the legislature meet in regular annual sessions, and shall special legislative sessions be authorized each with specific time limitations?
#69: 1979 - SJR 112 (legislators in other offices)
Question: Shall legislators be allowed to assume other civil offices without receiving any increases in compensation passed during their legislative terms?
Question: Shall municipal utilities be permitted by the constitution to assist owners of residences in financing energy conservation measures until 1990?
Question: Shall a judicial qualifications commission be created and the supreme court empowered to discipline or remove judges upon its recommendation?
Question: Shall constitutional limitations on powers and numbers of superior court commissioners be removed, and limitations be established by legislation?
Question: Shall certification of initiatives to the legislature be required within forty days of filing and legislatively ordered referenda thereon prohibited?
Question: Shall a commission be appointed by legislative leaders to redistrict legislative and congressional districts each decade based on equal population?
Question: Shall counties and cities be permitted to finance public improvements through tax revenues resulting from increased values of benefited properties?
Question: Shall agricultural commodity commissions, funded by agricultural producer assessments, be permitted to engage in promotional hosting to develop agricultural trade?
Question: Shall the Constitution be amended to authorize an independent commission to set salaries of legislators, judges, and state elected officials?
Question: Shall a constitutional amendment permit voters to approve school excess levies, not exceeding six years for construction, modernization or remodeling?
Question: Shall the Constitution be amended to increase authority and membership of the commission reviewing judicial conduct and require public proceedings?
Question: Shall the constitution empower superior court judges, after retirement, to complete pending cases in which they had made discretionary rulings?
Failed: 1987 - SJR 8212 (investment of public funds)
Question: Shall the constitutional authority for public utilities to assist residential energy conservation continue and extend to other structures and equipment?
Question: Shall the State Constitution’s provision creating the Judicial Conduct Commission be revised to more explicitly describe its process and authority?
Question: Shall constitutional provisions governing the creation of new counties be amended to alter requirements for county formation, annexation, and consolidation?
Question: Shall the Constitution’s description of the Superior Court’s original jurisdiction be amended by deleting the reference to “cases in equity”?
Failed: 1991 - SJR 8203 (county home rule charters)
Question: Shall the Constitution be amended to permit voter-approved school district levies to run for an optional four-year period, rather than the current two-year maximum?
Question: Shall the Constitution be amended to permit local governments to make loans for the conservation or the more efficient use of stormwater or sewer services?
Question: Shall the constitution be amended to permit the state to guarantee payment of voter-approved general obligation debt of school districts as authorized by law?
Failed: 1999 - SJR 8208 (investment of emergency fund)
Question: Shall the state constitution be amended to permit state funds held in trust for persons with developmental disabilities to be invested as authorized by law?
Failed: 2001 - HJR 4202 (investment of state funds)
Question: The Legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment on the investment of state funds. This amendment would grant increased discretion to the Legislature in deciding how to invest state funds. Funds under the authority of the state investment board could be invested as determined by state statute. Should this constitutional amendment be Approved or Rejected?
Question: The Legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment on the use of temporary superior court judges (judges pro tempore). This amendment would allow superior courts to bring in elected Washington judges from other court levels to hear cases on a temporary basis, subject to certain restrictions, as implemented by supreme court rules. Should this constitutional amendment be Approved or Rejected?
Question: The Legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment on fire protection property tax levies. This amendment would permit property tax levy propositions for fire protection districts to be submitted to voters for periods up to four years, or six years for fire facility construction, rather than annually. Should this constitutional amendment be Approved or Rejected?
Question: The legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment on filling vacancies in legislative and partisan county elective offices.This amendment would permit newly-elected officers to take office early if the office falls vacant after the general election and the newly-elected officer is of the same political party as the former officer.
#97: 2005 - SJR 8207 (commission on judicial conduct)
Question: The Legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment on qualifications for service on the Commission on Judicial Conduct. This amendment would permit one member of the Commission on Judicial Conduct to be selected by and from the judges of all courts of limited jurisdiction.
Question: The legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment on increasing an exemption from the personal property tax. This amendment would authorize the legislature to increase the personal property tax exemption for taxable personal property owned by each “head of a family” from three thousand ($3,000) to fifteen thousand ($15,000) dollars.
Question: This amendment would remove an inoperative provision from the state constitution regarding the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice-president.
Question: This amendment would require the legislature to transfer additional moneys to the budget stabilization account in each fiscal biennium in which the state has received “extraordinary revenue growth,” as defined, with certain limitations.
Question: This amendment would, starting July 1, 2014, phase-down the debt limit percentage in three steps from nine to eight percent and modify the calculation date, calculation period, and the term general state revenues.
Failed: 2012 - SJR 8223 (investment of university funds)
Question: This amendment would create an exception to constitutional restrictions on investing public funds by allowing these universities to invest specified public funds as authorized by the legislature, including in private companies or stock.
Question: This amendment would require the state redistricting commission to complete redistricting for state legislative and congressional districts by November 15 of each year ending in a one, 46 days earlier than currently required.
Question: This measure would add “catastrophic incidents” to the specified times of emergency that the legislature may take certain immediate actions to ensure continuity of state and local governmental operations.
Failed: 2020 - ESJR 8212 (investment of long-term care funds)
Question: This amendment would allow public money held in a fund for long-term care services and supports to be invested by governments as authorized by state law, including investments in private stocks.