H-3087.1          _______________________________________________

 

                                  HOUSE BILL 2223

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature         1991 1st Special Session

 

By Representatives Wang, Morris, Phillips, Locke, Belcher, Spanel, Fraser, Brekke, Cole, Valle, Leonard, Ogden, Ebersole, Nelson, Prentice, Jacobsen, Pruitt, Braddock and Anderson.

 

Read first time June 17, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Revenue.Enacting the tax fairness act.


     AN ACT Relating to tax reform; amending RCW 48.32A.090, 82.04.050, 82.04.080, 82.04.190, 82.04.300, 82.04.390, 82.04.4281, 82.04.4292, 82.04.4293, 82.08.020, 82.16.040, and 82.16.050; adding a new section to chapter 82.04 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 82 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 48.32.145, 82.04.315, 82.04.4287, 82.08.0276, 82.08.0311, 82.12.0263, 82.12.0271, 82.12.0272, and 82.12.0311; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

     Sec. 1.  RCW 48.32A.090 and 1990 c 51 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) The association shall issue to each insurer paying an assessment under this chapter certificates of contribution, in appropriate form and terms as prescribed or approved by the commissioner, for the amounts so paid into the respective funds.  All outstanding certificates against a particular fund shall be of equal dignity and priority without reference to amounts or dates of issue.

     (2) An outstanding certificate of contribution shall be shown by the insurer in its financial statements as an admitted asset for such amount and period of time as the commissioner may approve:  PROVIDED, That unless a longer period has been allowed by the commissioner the insurer shall in any event at its option have the right to so show a certificate of contribution as an admitted asset at percentages of original face amount for calendar years as follows:

 

     100% for the calendar year of issuance;

     80% for the first calendar year after the year of issuance;

     60% for the second calendar year after the year of issuance;

     40% for the third calendar year after the year of issuance;

     20% for the fourth calendar year after the year of issuance; and

     0% for the fifth and subsequent calendar years after the year of issuance.

 

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the value of a certificate of contribution is or becomes less than one thousand dollars, the entire amount may be written off by the insurer in that year.

     (3) ((The insurer shall offset the amount written off by it in a calendar year under subsection (2) of this section against its premium tax liability to this state accrued with respect to business transacted in such year.

     (4))) Any sums recovered by the association representing sums which have theretofore been written off by contributing insurers and offset against premium taxes ((as provided in subsection (3) of this section,)) before the effective date of this act shall be paid by the association to the commissioner and ((by him)) then deposited with the state treasurer for credit to the general fund of the state of Washington.

     (((5))) (4) No distribution to stockholders, if any, of a liquidating insurer shall be made unless and until the total amount of assessments levied by the association with respect to such insurer have been fully recovered by the association.

 

     Sec. 2.  RCW 82.04.050 and 1988 c 253 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) "Sale at retail" or "retail sale" means every sale of tangible personal property (including articles produced, fabricated, or imprinted) to all persons irrespective of the nature of their business and including, among others, without limiting the scope hereof, persons who install, repair, clean, alter, improve, construct, or decorate real or personal property of or for consumers other than a sale to a person who (a) purchases for the purpose of resale as tangible personal property in the regular course of business without intervening use by such person, or (b) installs, repairs, cleans, alters, imprints, improves, constructs, or decorates real or personal property of or for consumers, if such tangible personal property becomes an ingredient or component of such real or personal property without intervening use by such person, or (c) purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing for sale a new article of tangible personal property or substance, of which such property becomes an ingredient or component or is a chemical used in processing, when the primary purpose of such chemical is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of a new article being produced for sale, or (d) purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing ferrosilicon which is subsequently used in producing magnesium for sale, if the primary purpose of such property is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of ferrosilicon, or (e) purchases for the purpose of providing the property to consumers as part of competitive telephone service, as defined in RCW 82.04.065.  The term shall include every sale of tangible personal property which is used or consumed or to be used or consumed in the performance of any activity classified as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property is resold or utilized as provided in (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) above following such use.  The term also means every sale of tangible personal property to persons engaged in any business which is taxable under RCW 82.04.280, subsections (2) and (7) and RCW 82.04.290.

     (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1)(c) of this section, "sale at retail" or "retail sale" includes every sale of tangible personal property to persons purchasing for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing for sale any of the following articles of tangible personal property:

     (a) Property for use in connection with the business of operating as a private or common carrier by air, rail, or water in interstate or foreign commerce.

     (b) Airplanes, locomotives, railroad cars, or watercraft for use in conducting interstate or foreign commerce by transporting therein or therewith property and persons for hire or for use in conducting commercial deep sea fishing operations outside the territorial waters of the state; also tangible personal property that becomes a component part of such airplanes, locomotives, railroad cars, or watercraft, and of motor vehicles or trailers whether owned by or leased with or without drivers and used by the holder of a carrier permit issued by the interstate commerce commission authorizing transportation by motor vehicle across the boundaries of this state, in the course of constructing, repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving the same.

     (c) Motor vehicles and trailers to be used for the purpose of transporting therein persons or property for hire in interstate or foreign commerce whether such use is by the owner or whether such motor vehicles and trailers are leased to the user with or without drivers:  PROVIDED, That the purchaser or user must be the holder of a carrier permit issued by the interstate commerce commission and that the vehicles will first move upon the highways of this state from the point of delivery in this state to a point outside of this state under the authority of a one‑transit permit issued by the director of licensing pursuant to the provisions of RCW 46.16.160.

     (3) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" shall include the sale of or charge made for tangible personal property consumed and/or for labor and services rendered in respect to the following:  (a) The installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, or improving of tangible personal property of or for consumers, including charges made for the mere use of facilities in respect thereto, but excluding charges made for the use of coin operated laundry facilities when such facilities are situated in an apartment house, hotel, motel, rooming house, trailer camp or tourist camp for the exclusive use of the tenants thereof, and also excluding sales of laundry service to members by nonprofit associations composed exclusively of nonprofit hospitals, and excluding services rendered in respect to live animals, birds and insects; (b) the constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for consumers, including the installing or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation, and shall also include the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth excepting the mere leveling of land used in commercial farming or agriculture; (c) the charge for labor and services rendered in respect to constructing, repairing, or improving any structure upon, above, or under any real property owned by an owner who conveys the property by title, possession, or any other means to the person performing such construction, repair, or improvement for the purpose of performing such construction, repair, or improvement and the property is then reconveyed by title, possession, or any other means to the original owner; (d) the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the cleaning, fumigating, razing or moving of existing buildings or structures, but shall not include the charge made for janitorial services;  and for purposes of this section the term "janitorial services" shall mean those cleaning and caretaking services ordinarily performed by commercial janitor service businesses including, but not limited to, wall and window washing, floor cleaning and waxing, and the cleaning in place of rugs, drapes and upholstery.  The term "janitorial services" does not include painting, papering, repairing, furnace or septic tank cleaning, snow removal or sandblasting; (e) the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to automobile towing and similar automotive transportation services, but not in respect to those required to report and pay taxes under chapter 82.16 RCW; (f) the sale of and charge made for the furnishing of lodging and all other services by a hotel, rooming house, tourist court, motel, trailer camp, and the granting of any similar license to use real property, as distinguished from the renting or leasing of real property, and it shall be presumed that the occupancy of real property for a continuous period of one month or more constitutes a rental or lease of real property and not a mere license to use or enjoy the same; (g) the sale of or charge made for tangible personal property, labor and services to persons taxable under (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) above when such sales or charges are for property, labor and services which are used or consumed in whole or in part by such persons in the performance of any activity defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property, labor and services may be resold after such use or consumption.  Nothing contained in this paragraph shall be construed to modify the first paragraph of this section and nothing contained in the first paragraph of this section shall be construed to modify this paragraph.

     (((3))) (4) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" shall include the sale of or charge made for personal business or professional services including amounts designated as interest, rents, fees, admission, and other service emoluments however designated, received by persons engaging in the following business activities:  (a) Amusement and recreation businesses including but not limited to golf, pool, billiards, skating, bowling, ski lifts and tows and others; (b) abstract, title insurance and escrow businesses; (c) credit bureau businesses; (d) automobile parking and storage garage businesses.

     (((4))) (5) The term shall also include the renting or leasing of tangible personal property to consumers.

     (((5))) (6) The term shall also include the providing of telephone service, as defined in RCW 82.04.065, to consumers.

     (((6))) (7) The term shall not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the building, repairing, or improving of any street, place, road, highway, easement, right of way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or by the United States and which is used or to be used primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind.  The term shall also not include sales of feed, seed, seedlings, fertilizer, and spray materials to persons who participate in the federal conservation reserve program or its successor administered by the United States department of agriculture, or to persons for the purpose of producing for sale any agricultural product whatsoever, including plantation Christmas trees and milk, eggs, wool, fur, meat, honey, or other substances obtained from animals, birds, or insects but only when such production and subsequent sale are exempt from tax under RCW 82.04.330, nor shall it include sales of chemical sprays or washes to persons for the purpose of post-harvest treatment of fruit for the prevention of scald, fungus, mold, or decay.

     (((7))) (8) The term shall not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter 35.82 RCW, including the installing, or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation.  Nor shall the term include the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority.

 

     Sec. 3.  RCW 82.04.080 and 1961 c 15 s 82.04.080 are each amended to read as follows:

     "Gross income of the business" means the value proceeding or accruing by reason of the transaction of the business engaged in and includes gross proceeds of sales, compensation for the rendition of services, gains realized from trading in stocks, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness, interest, discount, rents, royalties, fees, commissions, dividends, gains realized from sales of real property, and other emoluments however designated, all without any deduction on account of the cost of tangible property sold, the cost of materials used, labor costs, interest, discount, delivery costs, taxes, or any other expense whatsoever paid or accrued and without any deduction on account of losses.

 

     Sec. 4.  RCW 82.04.190 and 1986 c 231 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     "Consumer" means the following:

     (1) Any person who purchases, acquires, owns, holds, or uses any article of tangible personal property irrespective of the nature of the person's business and including, among others, without limiting the scope hereof, persons who install, repair, clean, alter, improve, construct, or decorate real or personal property of or for consumers other than for the purpose (a) of resale as tangible personal property in the regular course of business or (b) of incorporating such property as an ingredient or component of real or personal property when installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, improving, constructing, or decorating such real or personal property of or for consumers or (c) of consuming such property in producing for sale a new article of tangible personal property or a new substance, of which such property becomes an ingredient or component or as a chemical used in processing, when the primary purpose of such chemical is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of a new article being produced for sale or (d) purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing ferrosilicon which is subsequently used in producing magnesium for sale, if the primary purpose of such property is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of ferrosilicon;

     (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1)(c) of this section, "consumer" includes any person who purchases, acquires, owns, holds, or uses any article of tangible personal property for the purpose of consuming the property in producing for sale any of the following articles of tangible personal property:

     (a) Property for use in connection with the business of operating as a private or common carrier by air, rail, or water in interstate or foreign commerce.

     (b) Airplanes, locomotives, railroad cars, or watercraft for use in conducting interstate or foreign commerce by transporting therein or therewith property and persons for hire or for use in conducting commercial deep sea fishing operations outside the territorial waters of the state; also tangible personal property that becomes a component part of such airplanes, locomotives, railroad cars, or watercraft, and of motor vehicles or trailers whether owned by or leased with or without drivers and used by the holder of a carrier permit issued by the interstate commerce commission authorizing transportation by motor vehicle across the boundaries of this state, in the course of constructing, repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving the same.

     (c) Motor vehicles and trailers to be used for the purpose of transporting therein persons or property for hire in interstate or foreign commerce whether such use is by the owner or whether such motor vehicles and trailers are leased to the user with or without drivers:  PROVIDED, That the purchaser or user must be the holder of a carrier permit issued by the interstate commerce commission and that the vehicles will first move upon the highways of this state from the point of delivery in this state to a point outside of this state under the authority of a one‑transit permit issued by the director of licensing pursuant to the provisions of RCW 46.16.160.

     (3) Any person engaged in any business activity taxable under RCW 82.04.290 and any person who purchases, acquires, or uses any telephone service as defined in RCW 82.04.065, other than for resale in the regular course of business;

     (((3))) (4) Any person engaged in the business of contracting for the building, repairing or improving of any street, place, road, highway, easement, right of way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state of Washington or by the United States and which is used or to be used primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind as defined in RCW 82.04.280, in respect to tangible personal property when such person incorporates such property as an ingredient or component of such publicly owned street, place, road, highway, easement, right of way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle by installing, placing or spreading the property in or upon the right of way of such street, place, road, highway, easement, bridge, tunnel, or trestle or in or upon the site of such mass public transportation terminal or parking facility;

     (((4))) (5) Any person who is an owner, lessee or has the right of possession to or an easement in real property which is being constructed, repaired, decorated, improved, or otherwise altered by a person engaged in business, excluding only (a) municipal corporations or political subdivisions of the state in respect to labor and services rendered to their real property which is used or held for public road purposes, and (b) the United States, instrumentalities thereof, and county and city housing authorities created pursuant to chapter 35.82 RCW in respect to labor and services rendered to their real property.  Nothing contained in this or any other subsection of this definition shall be construed to modify any other definition of "consumer";

     (((5))) (6) Any person who is an owner, lessee, or has the right of possession to personal property which is being constructed, repaired, improved, cleaned, imprinted, or otherwise altered by a person engaged in business;

     (((6))) (7) Any person engaged in the business of constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter 35.82 RCW, including the installing or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation; also, any person engaged in the business of clearing land and moving earth of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter 35.82 RCW.  Any such person shall be a consumer within the meaning of this subsection in respect to tangible personal property incorporated into, installed in, or attached to such building or other structure by such person.

 

     Sec. 5.  RCW 82.04.300 and 1983 c 3 s 213 are each amended to read as follows:

     This chapter shall apply to any person engaging in any business activity taxable under RCW 82.04.230, 82.04.240, 82.04.250, 82.04.260, 82.04.270, 82.04.280 and 82.04.290 other than those whose value of products, gross proceeds of sales, or gross income of the business is less than ((one)) four thousand two hundred dollars per month:  PROVIDED, That where one person engages in more than one business activity and the combined measures of the tax applicable to such businesses equal or exceed ((one)) four thousand two hundred dollars per month, no exemption or deduction from the amount of tax is allowed by this section.

     Any person claiming exemption under the provisions of this section may be required to file returns even though no tax may be due:  PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the department of revenue may allow exemptions, by general rule or regulation, in those instances in which quarterly, semiannual, or annual returns are permitted.  Exemptions for such periods shall be equivalent in amount to the total of exemptions for each month of a reporting period.

 

     Sec. 6.  RCW 82.04.390 and 1961 c 15 s 82.04.390 are each amended to read as follows:

     This chapter shall not apply to ((gross proceeds)) amounts derived from the sale of owner-occupied residential real estate with a selling price of five hundred thousand dollars or less.  This however, shall not be construed to allow a deduction of amounts received as commissions from the sale of real estate, nor as fees, handling charges, discounts, interest or similar financial charges resulting from, or relating to, real estate transactions.

 

     Sec. 7.  RCW 82.04.4281 and 1980 c 37 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) In computing tax there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts derived by persons((, other than those engaging in banking, loan, security, or other financial businesses,)) from investments or the use of money as such, ((and also)) except:

     (a) Amounts derived by persons engaging in banking, loan, security, or other financial businesses.

     (b) Amounts derived by any person as interest income, dividend income, gains realized from trading in stocks, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness, or gains realized from sales of real property.

     (2) In computing tax there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts derived as dividends by a parent from its subsidiary corporations.

 

     Sec. 8.  RCW 82.04.4292 and 1980 c 37 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

     In computing tax there may be deducted from the measure of tax ((by those engaged in banking, loan, security or other financial businesses,)) amounts derived from interest received on investments or loans primarily secured by first mortgages or trust deeds on nontransient residential properties.

 

     Sec. 9.  RCW 82.04.4293 and 1980 c 37 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:

     In computing tax there may be deducted from the measure of tax ((by those engaged in banking, loan, security or other financial businesses,)) amounts derived from interest paid on all obligations of the state of Washington, its political subdivisions, and municipal corporations organized pursuant to the laws thereof.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10.  A new section is added to chapter 82.04 RCW to read as follows:

     This chapter shall not apply to income accrued by an employee benefit plan.  For purposes of this section, "employee benefit plan" means any plan, trust, or custodial arrangement that is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq., or that is described in sections 125, 401, 403, 408, 457, 501(c)(9), 501(c)(17) through (23) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or similar plan maintained by state or local governments, or plans, trusts, or custodial arrangements established to self-insure benefits required by federal, state, or local law.

 

     Sec. 11.  RCW 82.08.020 and 1985 c 32 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) There is levied and there shall be collected a tax on each retail sale in this state equal to six and ((five-)) two-tenths percent of the selling price.

     (2) The tax imposed under this chapter shall apply to successive retail sales of the same property.

     (3) The rate provided in this section applies to taxes imposed under chapter 82.12 RCW as provided in RCW 82.12.020.

 

     Sec. 12.  RCW 82.16.040 and 1961 c 15 s 82.16.040 are each amended to read as follows:

     The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to persons engaging in one or more businesses taxable under this chapter whose total gross income is less than ((five)) two thousand one hundred dollars for a monthly period or portion thereof.  Any person claiming exemption under this section may be required to file returns even though no tax may be due.  If the total gross income for a taxable monthly period is ((five)) two thousand one hundred dollars, or more, no exemption or deductions from the gross operating revenue is allowed by this provision.

 

     Sec. 13.  RCW 82.16.050 and 1989 c 302 s 103 are each amended to read as follows:

     In computing tax there may be deducted from the gross income the following items:

     (1) Amounts derived by municipally owned or operated public service businesses, directly from taxes levied for the support or maintenance thereof:  PROVIDED, That this section shall not be construed to exempt service charges which are spread on the property tax rolls and collected as taxes;

     (2) Amounts derived from the sale of commodities to persons in the same public service business as the seller, for resale as such within this state.  This deduction is allowed only with respect to water distribution, light and power, gas distribution or other public service businesses which furnish water, electrical energy, gas or any other commodity in the performance of public service businesses;

     (3) Amounts actually paid by a taxpayer to another person taxable under this chapter as the latter's portion of the consideration due for services furnished jointly by both, if the total amount has been credited to and appears in the gross income reported for tax by the former;

     (4) The amount of cash discount actually taken by the purchaser or customer;

     (5) The amount of credit losses actually sustained by taxpayers whose regular books of accounts are kept upon an accrual basis;

     (6) Amounts derived from business which the state is prohibited from taxing under the Constitution of this state or the Constitution or laws of the United States;

     (7) Amounts derived from the distribution of water through an irrigation system, for irrigation purposes;

     (8) ((Amounts derived from the transportation of commodities from points of origin in this state to final destination outside this state, or from points of origin outside this state to final destination in this state, with respect to which the carrier grants to the shipper the privilege of stopping the shipment in transit at some point in this state for the purpose of storing, manufacturing, milling, or other processing, and thereafter forwards the same commodity, or its equivalent, in the same or converted form, under a through freight rate from point of origin to final destination; and amounts derived from the transportation of commodities from points of origin in the state to an export elevator, wharf, dock or ship side on tidewater or navigable tributaries thereto from which such commodities are forwarded, without intervening transportation, by vessel, in their original form, to interstate or foreign destinations:  PROVIDED, That no deduction will be allowed when the point of origin and the point of delivery to such an export elevator, wharf, dock, or ship side are located within the corporate limits of the same city or town)) Amounts attributable to the portion of transportation that occurs outside this state of persons or property, or attributable to the portion of transmission of communications that occurs outside this state;

     (9) Amounts derived from the production, sale, or transfer of electrical energy for resale or consumption outside the state if the production or generation of such energy is subject to tax under the manufacturing classification of chapter 82.04 RCW: PROVIDED, That the exemption set forth in RCW 82.04.310 shall not be applicable to the generation or production of the electrical energy so produced, sold, or transferred:  AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That no credit has been claimed as an offset to taxes imposed under RCW 82.04.240;

     (10) Amounts derived from the distribution of water by a nonprofit water association and used for capital improvements by that nonprofit water association;

     (11) Amounts paid by a sewerage collection business taxable under RCW 82.16.020(1)(a) to a person taxable under chapter 82.04 RCW for the treatment or disposal of sewage.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 14.     (1) The legislature finds that transfers of ownership of a corporation may be, in some circumstances, essentially equivalent to the sale of real property held by the corporation.  The legislature further finds that all transfers of possession or use of real property should be subject to the same excise tax burdens.

     (2) The intent of sections 14 through 18 of this act is to apply an excise tax to transfers of corporate ownership when the transfer of ownership is comparable to a sale of real property.  The excise tax imposed under sections 14 through 18 of this act is intended to be equivalent in burden to the excise tax imposed on sales of real estate under chapter 82.45 RCW.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 15.     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

     (1) "Ownership transfer" means a transfer or series of transfers in any consecutive twelve-month period, for a valuable consideration, of ownership of stock possessing more than fifty percent of the total combined voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of each class of stock entitled to vote.

     (2) "Value of real property assets" means the true and fair value in money, at the time an ownership transfer is completed, of any estate or interest in real property located in this state.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 16.     (1) An excise tax is imposed on each ownership transfer of a corporation, to be paid by the corporation, at the rate of one and twenty-eight one-hundredths percent of the value of the real property assets of the corporation.

     (2) Chapter 82.32 RCW applies to the tax imposed in this chapter.  The tax due dates, reporting periods, and return requirements applicable to chapter 82.04 RCW apply equally to the tax imposed in this chapter.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 17.     The tax imposed in this chapter does not apply to ownership transfers:

     (1) When the taxpayer demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that the primary intent of the ownership transfer is for purposes other than avoidance of the tax imposed in chapter 82.45 RCW.

     (2) When the value of the real property assets of the corporation is less than fifty percent of the true and fair value in money of all assets held by the corporation at the time of the ownership transfer.

     (3) Of interests that are required to be registered with the federal securities and exchange commission under the securities act of 1933 or the securities exchange act of 1934.

     (4) By gift, devise, or inheritance.

     (5) From one spouse to the other in accordance with the terms of a decree of divorce or in fulfillment of a property settlement agreement incident thereto.

     (6) Solely for the purpose of securing a debt.

     (7) Upon execution of a judgment.

     (8) To a corporation that is wholly owned by the transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children.  If such transferee corporation voluntarily transfers the ownership interest, or the real property represented by the ownership interest, or such transferor, spouse, or children voluntarily transfer stock in the transferee corporation or interest in the transferee partnership capital, as the case may be, to other than (a) the transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children, (b) a trust having the transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children as the only beneficiaries at the time of the transfer to the trust, or (c) a corporation or partnership wholly owned by the original transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children, within five years after the original transfer to which this exemption applies, excise taxes shall become due and payable on the original transfer as otherwise provided by law.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 18.     Sections 15 through 17 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 82 RCW.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 19.     The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:

     (1) RCW 48.32.145 and 1977 ex.s. c 183 s 1 & 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 109 s 11;

     (2) RCW 82.04.315 and 1982 c 95 s 7;

     (3) RCW 82.04.4287 and 1980 c 37 s 8;

     (4) RCW 82.08.0276 and 1980 c 37 s 42;

     (5) RCW 82.08.0311 and 1988 c 68 s 1;

     (6) RCW 82.12.0263 and 1980 c 37 s 62;

     (7) RCW 82.12.0271 and 1980 c 37 s 69;

     (8) RCW 82.12.0272 and 1980 c 37 s 70; and

     (9) RCW 82.12.0311 and 1988 c 68 s 2.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 20.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1991, except for sections 14 through 18 of this act which shall take effect immediately.