Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.
Washington Issue $500 Million in Bonds for Forest Health Projects Initiative (2021)
| Washington Issue $500 Million in Bonds for Forest Health Projects Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 2, 2021 | |
| Topic Bond issues and Forests and parks | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Washington Issue $500 Million in Bonds for Forest Health Projects Initiative (#1806) was not on the ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the People, a type of initiated state statute, on November 2, 2021.
This initiative would have authorized the issuance of $500 million ($500,000,000) in general obligation bonds and created the Washington Forest Health Bond Account in the Washington State Treasury with bond revenue to be used for forest health activities. As of 2021, Forest health was defined in Washington State Law as "the condition of a forest being sound in ecological function, sustainable, resilient, and resistant to insects, diseases, fire, and other disturbance, and having the capacity to meet landowner objectives."[1][2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for this initiative would have been as follows:[1]
| “ |
Initiative Measure No. 1806 concerns the issuance of state bonds to fund forest health activities. This measure would authorize the issuance of state tax-exempt general obligation bonds in the sum of up to $500,000,000 to provide additional funding for forest health activities that are consistent with previously-enacted laws. Yes [ ] No [ ] [3] |
” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for this initiative would have been as follows:[1]
| “ |
This measure would authorize the issuance of state tax-exempt general obligation bonds in the sum of up to $500,000,000 to provide additional funding for forest health activities. It would also create a state account into which proceeds from the sale of such bonds, receipts from direct legislative appropriations, and moneys directed to the account from other sources would be deposited. Expenditures from that account would be for forest health activities consistent with certain previously-enacted laws. [3] |
” |
Full text
The full text is available here.
Path to the ballot
The state process
In Washington, the number of signatures required to qualify a directly initiated state statute—called an Initiative to the People in Washington—for the ballot is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast for the office of governor at the last regular gubernatorial election. Initial filings for direct initiatives cannot be made more than 10 months before the general election at which their proposal would be presented to voters. Signatures must be submitted at least four months prior to the general election.
The requirements to get an Initiative to the People certified for the 2021 ballot:
- Signatures: 324,516 valid signatures were required.
- Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was July 2, 2021.
The secretary of state verifies the signatures using a random sample method. If the sample indicates that the measure has sufficient signatures, the measure is certified for the ballot. However, if the sample indicates that the measure has insufficient signatures, every signature is checked. Under Washington law, a random sample result may not invalidate a petition.
Details about this initiative
- Michael McKee filed the initiative on January 29, 2021. Ballot language was issued on February 16, 2021.[1]
- No signatures were submitted by the deadline on July 2, 2021.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Washington Secretary of State, "Proposed Initiatives to the People 2021," accessed January 23, 2021
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Revised Code of Washington 76.06.020," accessed February 19, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
 |
State of Washington Olympia (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
