Sen. Braun seeks constitutional amendments in 2020

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State Sen. John Braun is looking to make changes to the Washington State Constitution, filing two resolutions that would codify a sales tax exemption and requiring a four-year balanced budget in the state’s top legal document if approved.

Prior to the beginning of the 2020 legislative session, the Senate Republican Caucus released a list of pre-filed bills of importance, two of which were resolutions primarily sponsored by Braun, R-Centralia. Both would make amendments to the state constitution and are two of five the senator has put forth this biennium, which included amendments regarding investments to family and medical leave, the right to fish and hunt and restrictions on the use of funds from “premiums, contributions, or other charges imposed on wages,” according to legislation information.

Senate Joint Resolution 8208 would create an amendment allowing for a homestead property tax exemption on residences in the state. In 2018, Braun had filed a similar resolution that failed to make it out of committee — this year’s resolution was initially filed last year, though bills are based on a biennial schedule for introduction.

A bill report on the 2018 resolution explained that currently the state constitution levies uniform taxes on specific classes of property, such as real property, under which residential dwellings were found. If passed, the resolution would allow for property used as a primary residence to receive an exemption.

The 2018 version of the resolution was tied to another piece of legislation that set the exemption at $100,000, according to a release from Braun’s office at the time, though in the current session Braun had not filed for a similar bill, according to the Washington State Legislature website.

The release from the 2018 version stated that the reduction would come from state property taxes, leaving local collections unaffected. It also noted that the resolution would not impact property taxes paid by the business community.



An estimate at the time of the prior resolution was that $500 million in property tax savings would result from its passing. The release noted the state was anticipated to collect $7.2 billion in property taxes for the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium.

Braun’s other resolution pointed out by the caucus, Senate Joint Resolution 8207, would add the requirement for a four-year balanced budget in the state constitution. The bill text sets requirements that after enacted the first biennial operating budget would require a positive ending fund balance in state funds, stipulating that for the following biennium the budget “shall not exceed the available fiscal resources.”

Both resolutions also has support in North County’s other representation in the Senate, with Sens. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, and Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, both listed as sponsors on the legislation. Currently both resolutions have been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

As both resolutions would modify the state constitution they would require a two-thirds vote from both chambers of the legislature for their approval. Should lawmakers approve them they then would go to a public vote at the next general election with a simple majority required to make the amendments.