Ghost bill on taxes introduced by Democrats

A strange thing has happened in Olympia.  A bill was introduced in the Senate, SB 6853, which has no text.

The bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the Ways and Means Committee. 

Committee members may decide to pass it and send it to the full Senate, going against the rule that legislation be made public for at least five days before being acted on.

This bill may make major changes in the tax code, and could result in a significant increase in the tax burden state lawmakers place on citizens, so it would be nice to know what the bill actually says. 

As independent policy analysts, it is hard for Washington Policy Center, or anyone else, to make a fair assessment of a major bill when the public has no idea what it says, or how it may affect our lives.

As reported Tuesday morning by the Washington Policy Center blog, SB 6853 was introduced with only a header naming the bills sponsors (an all-Democrat squad), the required statement of purpose  "creating the legislative review of tax preferences act of 2010"  and no enacting language.