Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Appropriations Committee |
HB 2460
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Allowing small counties to retain ninety-eight percent of a surcharge for local homeless housing and assistance.
Sponsors: Representatives Dye and Schmick.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/20/20
Staff: Jessica Van Horne (786-7288).
Background:
Both the state and local homeless housing programs receive funding from the local homeless housing and assistance surcharge collected by each county auditor when a document is recorded. The surcharge is $62 per recorded document. The surcharge is applied in addition to any authorized surcharges and administrative fees collected by the county auditor. An additional local homeless housing and assistance surcharge of $8 is also collected by each county auditor.
Both the state and the county receive a portion of the money collected from each $62 surcharge. Ten dollars of the $62 surcharge must be distributed to the county for the purpose of implementing local homeless housing programs and plans. The remainder of the revenues collected are distributed as follows:
2 percent to the county auditor for collection of the fee;
60 percent of the remainder to the county for its homeless housing program, up to 6 percent of which may be used for administering its homeless housing plan; and
the remainder to be deposited in the State Home Security Fund Account and distributed as follows:
12.5 percent may be used by the Department of Commerce (Department) for administration of the state homeless housing program; and
of the remaining 87.5 percent, at least 45 percent must be set aside for the use of private rental payments and the remainder to be used by the Department to provide housing and shelter to homeless people, including funding the homeless housing grant program.
The $62 local homeless housing and assistance surcharge applies to most recorded documents. Certain documents are exempt, including documents recording a birth, marriage, divorce, or death, and documents recording a federal, state, county, or city lien.
Summary of Bill:
For counties with a population of less than 25,000, no moneys collected from the $62 local homeless housing and assistance surcharge are deposited in the Home Security Fund Account. After $10 of the $62 surcharge is distributed to the county, the remainder is distributed as follows:
2 percent is distributed to the county auditor for collection of the fee; and
98 percent is distributed to the county for its homeless housing program, up to 6 percent of which may be used for administering its homeless housing plan.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 14, 2020.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.