OLYMPIA — The state House of Representatives yesterday passed legislation, for the third year in a row, that could make it easier for school districts to get property-tax levies approved by voters.

The constitutional amendment now goes to the state Senate, where it has died in past years. It would allow school levies to be approved by a simple majority of voters instead of a 60 percent supermajority. The amendment would go before voters in November if approved by a two-thirds majority in both houses.

House Joint Resolution 4205 passed the House yesterday 73-25, with the support of 18 Republicans. Supporters argued the change is needed because the supermajority requirement allows a minority of voters to block funds for schools. Opponents say taxpayers need the protection.

House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, said the broad support in the House for the constitutional amendment "sends a wonderful message [to the Senate] that maybe the time has come."

Then again, maybe not.

Although Democrats control both houses in the Legislature, Republicans are critical to passage in the Senate, given the two-thirds majority requirement for a constitutional amendment. Democrats hold a narrow, 26-23 majority in the Senate, where the school-levy bill would need at least 33 votes to pass. If the constitutional amendment makes it to the ballot, only a simple majority of voters would be needed to pass it.

Republicans blocked similar legislation in 2003 and again in 2004 when their party controlled the Senate. It's not clear how the proposal will fare this time.

GOP lawmakers in the Senate want a provision included in the bill that Democrats and the Washington Education Association (WEA) oppose: allowing simple-majority school levies only during November elections, when voter turnout is typically higher than in other elections.

Senate Republican Leader Bill Finkbeiner said the measure would have a better chance with that requirement included.

Without it, school districts could run the levies when voters aren't paying much attention, Finkbeiner contended. "I think the motivation to raise taxes with the smallest possible vote in an off-cycle election is just too high," he said.

Democrats and the WEA, the state's largest teachers union, said the November requirement is a bad idea because the levies would be on the ballot in the middle of the school year and would disrupt school budget cycles.

In addition, during the fall, "school measures would likely get lost at the bottom of the ballot," said Rich Wood, a spokesman for the WEA. "Whereas in the spring, the community can just focus on school issues."

Sen. Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way, said she would fight to keep the November requirement out of any simple-majority bill. Eide is sponsoring legislation in the Senate that's similar to the bill that passed the House.

However, Eide and Kessler wouldn't completely rule out accepting the Republican demand if that's what it took to get a constitutional amendment to voters.

"Never say never," Eide said.

Andrew Garber: 360-236-8268 or agarber@seattletimes.com