Washington Supermajority Vote Requirement, Initiative 485 (2012)

The Washington Supermajority Vote Requirement, Initiative 485, may appear on the November 2012 statewide ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the Legislature. The initiative would require sixty-six percent legislative approval or voter approval to raise taxes. Additionally, collected fees would have to be dedicated to their identified statutory purposes.

A similar Initiative to the Legislature would require a two-thirds supermajority vote by the legislature to increase taxes.

A total of 5 initiatives to the legislature have been filed on this subject; one was withdrawn. Initiative sponsors include: Tim Eyman, Leo J. Fagan and M.J. Fagan.

The proposed initiative, is similar to a 2012 proposed Initiative to the People that calls for either a 65% vote by the legislature to increase taxes or a two-thirds supermajority. The initiatives are also sponsored by Tim Eyman.

Path to the ballot

See also: Initiatives to the Legislature (Washington)

Initiatives to the Legislature, if certified, are submitted to the Washington State Legislature at its next regular session in January. Once submitted, the Legislature must take one of the following three actions:

• The Legislature can adopt the initiative as proposed, in which case it becomes law without a vote of the people;
• The Legislature can reject or refuse to act on the proposed initiative, in which case the initiative must be placed on the ballot at the next state general election; or
• The Legislature can approve an alternative to the proposed initiative, in which case both the original proposal and the Legislature's alternative must be placed on the ballot at the next state general election.

See also

Suggest a link

• 2012 ballot measures
• Washington 2012 ballot measures

External links

• Proposed initiatives to the legislature filed in 2011

• Initiative to the Legislatures
  • 66% approval - initiative text: 485
  • 2/3 supermajority - initiative text: 487, 488, 489

• Initiative to the Peoples - Washington Supermajority Vote Required to Raise Taxes, Initiative 1181 (2012)
  • 65% approval - initiative text: 1133, 1136 and 1151
  • 2/3 supermajority - initiative text: 1111, 1120, 1123, 1131, 1181

• Withdrawn: 491

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