New State Initiative Language: Yes, But What will it Cost Us?

Three of the citizen initiatives headed for the ballot in November will feature something never seen before by Washington voters: A kind of warning label about the budgetary implications and impact of the measure.

This change, formally called a “public investment impact disclosure” was mandated by the Legislature in 2022 to make it more difficult to use the initiative process to repeal laws approved by lawmakers. Some early polling indicated it might move the needle. We’re about to see whether it works.

The backers of the initiatives argued that it puts a thumb on the scale against a ballot measure. They fought the new requirement in court, but the Supremes turned them away last week.

Here’s how the process works. The attorney general’s office reviews the initiative to determine whether there’s a budget impact. If so, it crafts a summary according to a fairly strict format in the law.

https://www.postalley.org/2024/08/19/new-state-initiative-language-yes-but-what-will-it-cost-us/