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Washington Taxation of Stand-Alone Dental Plans, Advisory Vote 14 (2016)

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Washington Advisory Vote 14
Flag of Washington.png
Election date
November 8, 2016
Topic
Taxes and Healthcare
Status
Defeatedd Repealed
Type
Advisory question
2016 measures
Seal of Washington.png
November 8
Initiative 732 Defeatedd
Initiative 735 Approveda
Initiative 1433 Approveda
Initiative 1464 Defeatedd
Initiative 1491 Approveda
Initiative 1501 Approveda
Advisory Vote 14 Approveda
Advisory Vote 15 Approveda
SJR 8210 Approveda
Polls
Voter guides
Campaign finance
Signature costs

The Washington Taxation of Stand-Alone Dental Plans, also known as Advisory Vote 14, was on the November 8, 2016, ballot in Washington as an advisory question. A majority voted repeal.

A "repealed" vote opposed House Bill 2768, advising against allowing Washington Healthplanfinder to levy an assessment to fund operations.[1]
A "maintained" vote supported House Bill 2768, which allows the state’s health insurance exchange, known as Washington Healthplanfinder, to levy an assessment on stand-alone family dental plans to fund operations.

The reason for levying an assessment on stand-alone family dental plans, according to Washington Healthplanfinder CEO Pam McEwen, was to establish a revenue source for funding stand-alone adult dental plans.[1] Assessments were estimated to range from $25 and $50 per member per month.[2]

Washington Healthplanfinder was the only state health insurance exchange that did not offer adult dental plans in the country.[1]

House Bill 2768 passed in the Washington Legislature with 135 legislators in favor to 11 in opposition.[3]

Election results

Washington Advisory Vote 14
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Repealed 2,038,321 69.14%
Defeatedd Maintained 909,701 30.86%
Election results from Washington Secretary of State

Text of measure

Ballot title

The official ballot text read as follows:[2]

“ The legislature extended, without a vote of the people, the insurance premium tax to some insurance for stand-alone family dental plans, costing an indeterminate amount in the first ten years, for government spending.

This tax increase should be:

Repealed [ ]

Maintained [ ] [4]

”

Full text

The full text of House Bill 2768 can be found here.

Fiscal impact statement

See also: Fiscal impact statement

The following was the ten-year cost projection found in the voter guide:[2]

“ This bill authorizes the Health Benefit Exchange (HBE) to charge carrier assessments and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to charge premium taxes on Family Qualified Dental Plans (QDPs) for QDPs listed on the HBE. The assessments are estimated to range from $25 to $50 per member per month. Depending on the actual premiums paid, the HBE assessment will be set at a level needed to meet the HBE’s costs for offering Family QDPs through the Exchange. Without more certainty about the QDP premium amounts, the carrier assessment and premium tax revenues cannot be estimated; hence, the overall ten-year cost to fee payers is indeterminate.[4] ”

Background

See also: Washington Initiative 960

A provision of a 2007 ballot measure, Initiative 960, directly led to the placement of advisory votes on taxes on the ballot. Under that approved measure, a statewide advisory vote is required on all tax increases passed by the state legislature. Initiative 960 was sponsored by Tim Eyman and originally required a two-thirds supermajority vote in the legislature or a legally binding vote of the people to approve any tax increases or eliminations of tax credits. Though the supermajority requirement was struck down by the Washington Supreme Court in 2013, the advisory vote clause was left intact.[5][6]

Support

Supporters

  • King County Democrats[7]
  • 43rd District Democrats[8]
  • 45th District Democrats[9]
  • Northwest Progressive Institute[10]
  • Fuse Washington[11]

HB 2768 "Yes" votes

The following members of the Washington State Legislature voted in favor of HB 2768.[3]

Senate

House

Arguments

House Bill 2768's chief sponsor Rep. Joe Schmick (R-9)

The Progressive Voter Guide, produced by Fuse Washington, called on citizens to vote "maintain" on Advisory Vote 14. The guide stated:[11]

“ A bipartisan majority of legislators came together earlier this year to clarify that some stand-alone family dental plans can be charged a small insurance premium tax. House Bill 2768 passed the legislature 135 to 11 with 1 excused. ... Vote to "maintain" this measure.[4] ”

Pam McEwen, CEO of the Washington State Health Benefit Exchange, and Rep. Joe Schmick (R-9), the prime sponsor of House Bill 2768, testified in the Washington House of Representatives in support of the legislation. Staff provided a summary of their arguments:[1]

“ Currently, pediatric dental plans are offered on the exchange as part of the essential benefits, but family dental plans are not. We know from our customers, particularly our low-income consumers, that they are interested in purchasing family dental plans on the exchange. Currently this is the only exchange in the country that does not offer family dental because this portion has been delayed, and all stakeholders are eager to proceed with it. There is broad support from consumers and the health professional community for adding dental plans to the exchange. The issue until this point has been financing, because the exchange needs to be self-funded. This bill applies an already existing two percent tax to family dental plans, and would mimic how health plans and pediatric dental plans on the exchange are financed.[4] ”

Opposition

HB 2768 "No" votes

The following members of the Washington State Legislature voted against HB 2768.[3]

Senate

House

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Washington ballot measures
Total campaign contributions:
Support: $0.00
Opposition: $0.00

As of February 17, 2017, no ballot question committees registered to support or oppose Advisory Vote 14.[12]

Media editorials

Support

  • The News Tribune said: "This year, voters are invited to chime in on a new tax on certain standalone dental plans. Legislators of both parties overwhelmingly approved this adjustment to the state health benefit exchange. We see no reason to doubt them."[13]
  • The Stranger said: “Again, it doesn't matter which way you vote on this. … so vote "Maintained.”[14]

Opposition

  • The Daily News said: "In this case, no. 14 is an advisory vote to see if taxes on certain dental plans should be kept in place or not. A “yes” vote would advise the legislature to keep the tax in place, a “no” vote would advise for repeal. … We say “no” on 14 and “yes” on 15.”[15]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing ballot measures in Washington

The measure was automatically referred to the ballot by Initiative 960, an initiative passed in 2007 to require an advisory vote about any law passed by the legislature that increased tax revenue.

HB 2768

The bill that Initiative 960 referred to the ballot as an advisory question is House Bill 2768.

The Washington House of Representatives passed the bill on February 16, 2016, with 91 "yea" votes and 7 "nay" votes. The Washington State Senate passed the bill on March 2, 2016, with 44 "yea" votes and 4 "nay" votes. The Washington Governor signed the legislation on March 31, 2016.[16]

House vote

February 16, 2016

Washington HB 2768 House Vote
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 91 92.86%
No77.14%

Senate vote

March 2, 2016

Washington HB 2768 Senate Vote
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 44 91.67%
No48.33%

State profile

Demographic data for Washington
 WashingtonU.S.
Total population:7,160,290316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):66,4563,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:77.8%73.6%
Black/African American:3.6%12.6%
Asian:7.7%5.1%
Native American:1.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.6%0.2%
Two or more:5.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:12%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:90.4%86.7%
College graduation rate:32.9%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$61,062$53,889
Persons below poverty level:14.4%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Washington.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Washington

Washington voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Washington, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.[17]

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Washington had four Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 2.21 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Washington coverage on Ballotpedia

Related measures

See also: Taxes on the ballot
Taxes measures on the ballot in 2016
StateMeasures
North DakotaNorth Dakota Tobacco Tax Increase, Initiated Statutory Measure 4 Defeatedd
WashingtonWashington State-Provided Campaign Financing Funded by a Non-Resident Sales Tax, Initiative 1464 Defeatedd
WashingtonWashington Modifying Tax Exemption Criteria for Alternative Fuel Vehicles, Advisory Vote 15 Defeatedd
MissouriMissouri 60 Cent Cigarette Tax, Constitutional Amendment 3 Defeatedd
IllinoisIllinois Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox Amendment Approveda
FloridaFlorida Property Tax Exemptions for Renewable Energy Equipment, Amendment 4 Approveda
NevadaNevada Medical Equipment Sales Tax Exemption, Question 4 Approveda
OregonOregon Business Tax Increase, Measure 97 Defeatedd
ColoradoColorado Tobacco Tax Increase, Amendment 72 Defeatedd
MissouriMissouri 23 Cent Cigarette Tax, Proposition A Defeatedd
MaineMaine Tax on Incomes Exceeding $200,000 for Public Education, Question 2 Approveda
New JerseyNew Jersey Dedication of All Gas Tax Revenue to Transportation, Public Question 2 (2016) Approveda
OklahomaOklahoma One Percent Sales Tax, State Question 779 Defeatedd
UtahUtah Amendment C, Tax Exemptions for Property Leased By State Measure Defeatedd

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Washington Dental Plans Advisory 14. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Washington Taxation of Stand-Alone Dental Plans, Advisory Vote 14 (2016) - Google News

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Washington Legislature, "House Bill Report - HB 2768," accessed September 13, 2016
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Washington Secretary of State, "Advisory Vote 14," accessed September 13, 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Washington Secretary of State, "Final Votes Cast by Each Legislator," accessed September 13, 2016
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  5. ↑ Olympian, "UPDATE - AG: Five tax measures qualify for advisory votes on November ballots," July 16, 2013
  6. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Word from AG: Two Advisory Votes on 2014 ballot," June 27, 2014
  7. ↑ King County Democrats, "Endorsements 2016," accessed September 13, 2016
  8. ↑ 43rd District Demorats, "Endorsement considerations for September 2016 Meeting," accessed September 14, 2016
  9. ↑ 45th District Democrats, "Endorsements for 2016: Ballot Measures," accessed September 13, 2016
  10. ↑ Northwest Progressive Institute, "Ballot Measure Endorsements for 2016," accessed September 13, 2016
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Fuse Washington, "Progressive Voter Guide," accessed September 13, 2016
  12. ↑ Washington Public Disclosure Commission,"Committee search 2016," accessed September 12, 2016
  13. ↑ The News Tribune, "We endorse: Earlier redistricting deadline (SJR 8210), and yes on tax advisory votes," October 19, 2016
  14. ↑ The Stranger, "The Stranger's Endorsements for the November 2016 General Election," October 18, 2016
  15. ↑ The Daily News, "Voters' guide to state initiatives," September 15, 2016
  16. ↑ Washington Legislature, "HB 2768," accessed August 12, 2016
  17. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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