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Washington Universal Healthcare Coverage Initiative (2022)
| Washington Universal Healthcare Coverage Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 8, 2022 | |
| Topic Healthcare | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Washington Universal Healthcare Coverage Initiative (#1362) was not on the ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the Legislature, a type of indirect initiated state statute, on November 8, 2022.
This initiative was designed to create the Whole Washington Health Trust "to ensure all Washington residents can enroll in nonprofit health insurance coverage providing an essential set of health benefits including medical, prescription, dental, and vision benefits."[1][2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title would have been as follows:
| “ | Initiative Measure No. 1362 concerns healthcare.
This measure would establish a comprehensive state healthcare program for all Washington residents by November 2023, funded by taxes on employers, wages, and capital gains, and by limited monthly premiums on higher-income individuals. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ] [3] |
” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary would have been as follows:
| “ | This measure would establish, by November 2023, a comprehensive state program to pay for healthcare services, prescriptions, and medical equipment for all Washington residents. The program would establish covered healthcare services and eligibility rules; determine premiums for covered persons and payments to providers; seek any necessary federal waivers; and integrate existing healthcare benefit programs. The program would be funded by taxes on employers, wages, and capital gains, and by limited monthly premiums on higher-income individuals. | ” |
Full text
The full text of the initiative is available here.
Path to the ballot
The state process
In Washington, the number of signatures required to qualify an indirectly initiated state statute—called an Initiative to the Legislature 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 indirect initiatives cannot be made more than 10 months before the regular session at which their proposal would be presented to lawmakers. Signatures must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the beginning of the legislative session in the year of the targeted election.
The requirements to get an Initiative to the Legislature certified for the 2022 ballot:
- Signatures: 324,516 valid signatures were required.
- Deadline: December 31, 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 to appear before the legislature. If the legislature does not approve the measure, it is certified to appear on 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
- Sean Cavanagh of Whole Washington submitted this initiative on April 20, 2021.[2]
- Sponsors did not submit signatures before the deadline on December 30, 2021, therefore the initiative did not qualify for the ballot.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Initiative #1362 Text," accessed May 5, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Washington Secretary of State, "Proposed Initiatives to the 2022 Legislature," accessed May 4, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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State of Washington Olympia (capital) |
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