H-0620.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1770
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State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993 Regular Session
By Representatives Jones, Pruitt, R. Meyers and Jacobsen
Read first time 02/08/93. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources & Parks.
AN ACT Relating to taxation of forest lands; amending RCW 84.33.040; and adding a new section to chapter 84.33 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 84.33.040 and 1984 c 204 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
Except as provided in section 2 of this act, timber on privately owned land or federally owned land shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 84.33 RCW to read as follows:
The following tax consequences occur if a fee or charge is imposed for persons to engage in recreational activities on the forest land, including, but not limited to, hunting and camping:
(1) Timber on the forest land is considered as part of the value of the forest land for purposes of calculating the assessed valuation of the forest land for property tax purposes and the harvesting of timber on that forest land is not subject to the timber excise tax imposed in this chapter unless the timber is harvested at any time within five years of the date the county assessor finds that a fee for the recreational use of the forest land was imposed.
(2) The special methodology for establishing the assessed valuation of forest land that is provided in this chapter does not apply to that forest land and the assessed valuation of that forest land must be its true and fair value.
Once the assessor finds that a fee or charge was imposed in a calendar year, the tax consequences under this section continue in effect until five years have elapsed since the last year in which the fee or charge was imposed.
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