Property taxes/residence

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1
STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:2
THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the 3
secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state 4
for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to 5
Article VII of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding 6
a new section to read as follows: 7
Article VII, section . . .. Notwithstanding any other provision 8
of this Constitution, the following tax exemption is allowed as to 9
real property: 10
(a) The legislature may, by appropriate legislation, provide a 11
homestead exemption from property taxes levied for state purposes on 12
the real property occupied as a principal residence by those owners. 13
The exempt value must be stated in a dollar amount and must be 14
uniform across all real property occupied as a principal residence by 15
the owner. The homestead exemption may not shift property taxes 16
levied for state purposes. The state levy must be reduced as 17
necessary to prevent the value exempted under the homestead exemption 18
from resulting in a higher tax rate than would have occurred in the 19
absence of the homestead exemption. 20
(b) The legislature may also, by appropriate legislation, provide 21
a renter's credit to qualified residential tenants. The renter's 22
S-4026.2
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8209
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Torres and Dozier
Read first time 01/23/26. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
p. 1 SJR 8209
credit must be in the form of a refund of a portion of the rent paid 1
by qualifying tenants on their primary residence. The amount of a 2
renter's credit for a tenant may not exceed the maximum amount of tax 3
reduction provided by the homestead property tax exemption authorized 4
under subsection (a) of this section. 5
(c) The legislature may place other restrictions and conditions 6
upon granting the homestead exemption and renter's credit as it deems 7
proper. 8
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause 9
notice of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four 10
times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every 11
legal newspaper in the state. 12
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p. 2 SJR 8209