Washington HJR 19, State Financial Assistance for Students of Public, Private, and Religious Schools Amendment (1975)

Washington HJR 19
Election date November 4, 1975
Topic Public education funding and School choice policy
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Washington HJR 19 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Washington on November 4, 1975. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported allowing the legislature to provide financial assistance to students of public and private schools, including postsecondary institutions, regardless of the religious affiliation of the students or the institutions they attend, in so far as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.

A "no" vote opposed allowing the legislature to provide financial assistance to students of public and private schools, including postsecondary institutions, regardless of the religious affiliation of the students or the institutions they attend, in so far as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.

Election results

Washington HJR 19
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		369,775	39.54%
No		565,444	60.46%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for HJR 19 was as follows:

“

Shall Washington's constitution be amended to permit governmental assistance for students of all educational institutions – limited by the federal constitution?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Constitutional changes

See also: Washington Constitution

The ballot measure would have added a new article to the Washington Constitution. The following underlined text would have been added:

Section 1. To the extent permitted by the Constitution of the United States, and notwithstanding any other provision of the Constitution of the state of Washington to the contrary, the legislature may provide assistance for students of public and private schools, and for students of public and private institutions for post secondary or higher education, for the purpose of advancing their education, regardless of the creed or religious affiliation of the students, or the creed or religious affiliation, influence, or nature of the educational entity which they attend.

Support

Arguments

• King F. Cole of Citizens for HJR 19: "HJR 19 would amend our State constitution to be more consistent with the federal constitution and with practices in other states, in the area of limited aid to private school and college students. As the State Attorney General has said, 'Our state constitution has been at cross purposes with the federal constitution ever since it was written.' HJR 19 would not mandate anything; it would simply allow the state legislature to consider aid programs which already operate in most other states—for instance, bus transportation for private as well as public school students (29 states), health and remedial education services (15 states), textbook loan assistance (16 states), loan and grant programs for private college students similar to the G.I. Bill (34 states). There are 70,000 students in Washington’s 250 private schools and 10 private colleges. These institutions make a tremendous contribution to the state—for instance, by saving taxpayers the money (about $100,000,000 per year) they would have to pay if all these students were in public institutions. HJR 19 enhances rather than jeopardizes religious and educational freedom of choice. It is explicitly tied to the First Amendment to the federal constitution, a bulwark of religious liberty. It gives our state the freedom to do what most states already do, at minimal cost — one half of one per cent of the annual expenditure for public education. Students in most states already enjoy the benefits envisioned by HJR 19. Washington State in 1976 should have the freedom promised to all Americans in 1776."

Oppose

Arguments

• Clyde B. Mix of Citizens Against HJR 19: "Why is HJR 19, in many respects, the most important issue facing Washington voters on Nov. 4? Because it is a threat to our private schools, as well as a very grave threat to our public school system. In Washington, 90 per cent of our private schools have religious affiliation. If the voters were told that they were going to be taxed to support church schools in Washington and that government was, therefore, going to exercise a certain amount of control over those schools, a great roar of NO would be heard throughout the state. Yet that is precisely the situation we would face if HJR 19 were to pass Nov. 4. Where government funds go, government controls will (and must) follow. HJR 19, by deceptive wording, leads the voter to think that this is good legislation. Any state aid is expensive and no mention of cost is given, nor where the money is coming from. Increased taxes? New taxes? The claim that Washington’s constitution discriminates against students of non-public schools is ridiculous because students have a choice to attend the public school or a private school as they desire. Our public school system is capable of absorbing all private school students. In 1969 there were more students in the public schools of Washington than there are today in all the public and private schools combined. Why should we vote for HJR 19 when tax money is so hard to find for our public school system? If we were to have private schools supported with tax dollars, the public schools would eventually become the “dumping ground” for disadvantaged and discipline-problem students. Most importantly, HJR 19 would mean that we would lose the right to support only those religious institutions of our own choice. HJR 19 is another attempt to weaken and ultimately destroy the basic principle of the American way of life, the separation of church and state. Vote NO on HJR 19."

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Washington Constitution

A two-thirds vote was needed in each chamber of the Washington State Legislature to refer the constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.

See also

1975 Measures

• 1975 Measures
• Public education funding on the ballot
• School choice policy on the ballot
• 1975 legislative sessions

Washington

• Washington ballot measures
• Washington ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Washington Voter Guide (1975)