SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6437

As Passed Senate, February 14, 2002

Title:  An act relating to distribution of taxes by the county treasurer.

Brief Description:  Modifying county treasurer provisions.

Sponsors:  Senators Gardner, Hale, Swecker, McCaslin, B. Sheldon and Haugen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/28/02, 1/30/02 [DP].

Passed Senate:  2/14/02, 46-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Gardner, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Keiser, Kline, McCaslin, Roach, T. Sheldon and Swecker.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Background:  In some instances, the county treasurer serves as the treasurer for some local taxing districts.  On the first of each month, the county treasurer distributes the pro rata amount for each fund that was collected during the preceding month.  By the 10th of each month, the county treasurer remits to the cities their pro rata share of the taxes collected for the previous month.

Summary of Bill:  The county treasurer must remit to the taxing district acting as its own treasurer that district's pro rata share of the previous month's taxes by the 10th of the next month, as it does for cities.

Distributions to taxing districts for which the county treasurer does serve as treasurer must be made on the first of the month.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  When ports first became entities, they were all served by the county treasurer.  When some were allowed to act as their own treasurer, the statute explaining the timing of monthly tax disbursements by county treasurers was not likewise amended to reflect this change.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Pat Jones, Washington Public Ports Assn.; Rose Bowman, Ron Strabbing, WSACT.