Having failed to receive the votes needed to send voters SJR 8211 to implement the six time voter-approved supermajority for taxes requirement, a new proposal has been introduced in the Senate. Under SJR 8215 (Requiring voter approval for any action or combination of actions by the legislature that raises taxes) voter approval would be required for all tax increases unless:

• the tax was approved with a 3/5 vote (same constitutional vote requirement for issuing bonds and accessing funds from the Budget Stabilization Account); or
   
• the tax responds to a declaration of emergency approved by the legislature to protect life or public safety (limited to 12 months and in response to a catastrophic event); or
   
• the legislature is modifying or terminating a tax preference reviewed first by the commission established in law that recommended not to continue the preference.

This new proposal, though different from the policy previously approved by the voters repeatedly since 1993, is a smart compromise that provides the added protection against tax increases that the people have consistently demanded while providing the flexibility for the legislature to quickly respond to a catastrophic emergency to protect life or public safety.

SJR 8215 has been scheduled for a public hearing on 2/23 at 3:30 in Senate Ways & Means.