AN ACT Relating to the equalization of property taxation; amending RCW 84.48.080, 84.36.043, 84.36.805, 84.36.810, 84.36.030, and 84.36.805; adding a new section to chapter 84.52 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

Sec. 1. Section 84.48.080, chapter 15, Laws of 1961 as last amended by section 24, chapter 222, Laws of 1988 and RCW 84.48.080 are each amended to read as follows:

Annually during the months of September and October, the department of revenue shall examine and compare the returns of the assessment of the property in the several counties of the state, and the assessment of the property of railroad and other companies assessed by the department, and proceed to equalize the same, so that each county in the state shall pay its due and just proportion of the taxes for state purposes for such assessment year, according to the ratio the valuation of the property in each county bears to the total valuation of all property in the state.

First. The department shall classify all property, real and personal, and shall raise and lower the valuation of any class of property in any county to a value that shall be equal, so far as possible, to the true and fair value of such class as of January 1st of the current year for the purpose of ascertaining the just amount of tax due from each county for state purposes. In equalizing personal property as of January 1st of the current year, the department shall use the assessment level of the preceding year. Such classification may be on the basis of types of property, geographical areas, or both.

Second. The department shall keep a full record of its proceedings and the same shall be published annually by the department.

The department shall levy the state taxes authorized by law: PROVIDED, That the amount levied in any one year for general state purposes shall not exceed the lawful dollar rate on the dollar of the assessed value of the property of the entire state, which assessed value shall be one hundred percent of the true and fair value of such property in money. The department shall apportion the amount of tax for state purposes levied by the department, among the several counties, in proportion to the valuation of the taxable property of the county for the year as equalized by the department: PROVIDED, That for purposes of this apportionment, the department shall recompute the previous year's levy and the apportionment thereof to correct for changes and errors in taxable values reported to the department after October 1 of the preceding year and shall adjust the apportioned amount of the current year's state levy for each county by the difference between the apportioned amounts established by the original and revised levy computations for the previous year. For purposes of this section, changes in taxable values mean a final adjustment made by a county board of equalization, the state board of tax appeals, or a court of competent jurisdiction and shall include additions of omitted property, other additions or deletions from the assessment or tax rolls, or a change in the indicated ratio of a county. Errors in taxable values mean errors corrected by a final reviewing body.

The department shall have authority to adopt rules and regulations to enforce obedience to its orders in all matters in relation to the returns of county assessments, the equalization of values, and the apportionment of the state levy by the department.

After the completion of the duties hereinabove prescribed, the director of the department shall certify the record of the proceedings of the department under this section, the tax levies made for state purposes and the apportionment thereof among the counties, and the certification shall be available for public inspection.

Sec. 2. Section 12, chapter 55, Laws of 1983 1st ex. sess. and RCW 84.36.043 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The real and personal property ((of)) used by a nonprofit organization ((~~used~~)) in providing nonpermanent shelter to ((~~indigent~~)) low-income homeless persons as defined in RCW 35.21.685 or 36.32.415 or victims of domestic violence who are homeless for personal safety reasons is exempt from taxation if:

(a) The charge, if any, for the shelter does not exceed the actual cost of operating and maintaining the shelter facility; and

(b) (i) The property is owned by the nonprofit organization; or

(ii) For taxes levied for collection in 1991 through 1999 only, the property is rented or leased by the nonprofit organization and the benefit of the exemption inures to the nonprofit organization.

(2) This exemption is subject to the administrative provisions contained in RCW 84.36.800 through 84.36.865.

Sec. 3. Section 7, chapter 40, Laws of 1973 2nd ex. sess. as last amended by section 4, chapter 379, Laws of 1989 and RCW 84.36.805 are each amended to read as follows:

In order to be exempt pursuant to RCW 84.36.030, 84.36.035, 84.36.037, 84.36.040, 84.36.041, 84.36.043, 84.36.045, 84.36.047, 84.36.050, 84.36.060, 84.36.350, and 84.36.480, the nonprofit organizations, associations or corporations shall satisfy the following conditions:

(1) The property is used exclusively for the actual operation of the activity for which exemption is granted, unless otherwise provided, and does not exceed an amount reasonably necessary for that purpose, except:

(a) The loan or rental of the property does not subject the property to tax if:

(i) The rents and donations received for the use of the portion of the property are reasonable and do not exceed the maintenance and operation expenses attributable to the portion of the property loaned or rented; and

(ii) Except for the exemption under RCW 84.36.037, the property would be exempt from tax if owned by the organization to which it is loaned or rented;

(b) The use of the property for fund-raising activities does not subject the property to tax if the fund-raising activities are consistent with the purposes for which the exemption is granted;

(2) The property is irrevocably dedicated to the purpose for which exemption has been granted, and on the liquidation, dissolution, or abandonment by said organization, association, or corporation, said property will not inure directly or indirectly to the benefit of any shareholder or individual, except a nonprofit organization, association, or corporation which too would be entitled to property tax exemption: PROVIDED, That the property need not be irrevocably dedicated if it is leased or rented to those qualified for exemption pursuant to RCW 84.36.040 ((or)), 84.36.041, or 84.36.043 or those qualified for exemption as an association engaged in the production or performance of musical, dance, artistic, dramatic, or literary works pursuant to RCW 84.36.060, but only if under the terms of the lease or rental agreement the nonprofit organization, association, or corporation receives the benefit of the exemption;

(3) The facilities and services are available to all regardless of race, color, national origin or ancestry;

(4) The organization, association, or corporation is duly licensed or certified where such licensing or certification is required by law or regulation;

(5) Property sold to organizations, associations, or corporations with an option to be repurchased by the seller shall not qualify for exempt status;

(6) The director of the department of revenue shall have access to its books in order to determine whether such organization, association, or corporation is exempt from taxes within the intent of RCW 84.36.030, 84.36.035, 84.36.037, 84.36.040, 84.36.041, 84.36.043, 84.36.045, 84.36.047, 84.36.050, 84.36.060, 84.36.350, and 84.36.480.

Sec. 4. Section 8, chapter 40, Laws of 1973 2nd ex. sess. as last amended by section 5, chapter 379, Laws of 1989 and RCW 84.36.810 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Upon cessation of a use under which an exemption has been granted pursuant to RCW 84.36.030, 84.36.037, 84.36.040, 84.36.041, 84.36.043, 84.36.050, and 84.36.060, the county treasurer shall collect all taxes which would have been paid had the property not been exempt during the three years preceding, or the life of such exemption, if such be less, together with the interest at the same rate and computed in the same way as that upon delinquent property taxes: PROVIDED, That where the property has been granted an exemption for more than ten years, taxes and interest shall not be assessed under this section.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section applies only when ownership of the property is transferred or when fifty-one percent or more of the area of the property has lost its exempt status. The additional tax under subsection (1) of this section shall not be imposed if the cessation of use resulted solely from:

(a) Transfer to a nonprofit organization, association, or corporation for a use which also qualifies and is granted exemption under the provisions of chapter 84.36 RCW;

(b) A taking through the exercise of the power of eminent domain, or sale or transfer to an entity having the power of eminent domain in anticipation of the exercise of such power;

(c) Official action by an agency of the state of Washington or by the county or city within which the property is located which disallows the present use of such property;

(d) A natural disaster such as a flood, windstorm, earthquake, or other such calamity rather than by virtue of the act of the organization, association, or corporation changing the use of such property;

(e) Relocation of the activity and use of another location or site except for undeveloped properties of camp facilities exempted under RCW 84.36.030;

(f) Cancellation of a lease on property that had been exempt under RCW 84.36.040, 84.36.041, 84.36.043, or 84.36.060;

(g) A change in the exempt portion of a home for the aging under RCW 84.36.041(2), as long as some portion of the home remains exempt;

(h) The conversion of a full exemption of a home for the aging to a partial exemption or taxable status under RCW 84.36.041(7).

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 84.52 RCW to read as follows:

(1) It is the intent of this section to allow public hospital districts and metropolitan park districts to utilize levy authority approved by the voters pursuant to RCW 84.52.100 for the duration of such voter approval. It is further the intent of this section that these levies be made between the statutory tax rate limits established by RCW 84.52.043 and the applicable constitutional limits.

(2) Any increase of cumulative limitation approved by the voters of a public hospital district or metropolitan park district pursuant to RCW 84.52.100 prior to the effective date of the repeal of that provision shall remain valid and such district may levy such amount as the appropriate levy capacity may allow for the time authorized by the voters: PROVIDED, That no other levy, including fire district, library district, conservation futures under RCW 84.34.230, and emergency medical care or services under RCW 84.52.069 shall be reduced as a result of the increased public hospital district or metropolitan park district levy.

Sec. 6. Section 2, chapter 40, Laws of 1973 2nd ex. sess. as last amended by section 2, chapter 433, Laws of 1987 and RCW 84.36.030 are each amended to read as follows:

The following real and personal property shall be exempt from taxation:

(1) Property owned by nonprofit organizations or associations, organized and conducted for nonsectarian purposes, which shall be used for character-building, benevolent, protective or rehabilitative social services directed at persons of all ages. The sale of donated merchandise shall not be considered a commercial use of the property under this section if the proceeds are devoted to the furtherance of the purposes of the selling organization or association as specified in this paragraph.

(2) Property owned by any nonprofit church, denomination, group of churches, or an organization or association, the membership of which is comprised solely of churches or their qualified representatives, which is utilized as a camp facility if used for organized and supervised recreational activities and church purposes as related to such camp facilities. The exemption provided by this paragraph shall apply to a maximum of two hundred acres of any such camp as selected by the church, including buildings and other improvements thereon.

(3) Property, including buildings and improvements required for the maintenance and safeguarding of such property, owned by nonprofit organizations or associations engaged in character building of boys and girls under eighteen years of age, and used for such purposes and uses, provided such purposes and uses are for the general public good: PROVIDED, That if existing charters provide that organizations or associations, which would otherwise qualify under the provisions of this paragraph, serve boys and girls up to the age of twenty-one years, then such organizations or associations shall be deemed qualified pursuant to this section.

(4) Property owned by all organizations and societies of veterans of any war of the United States, recognized as such by the department of defense, which shall have national charters, and which shall have for their general purposes and objects the preservation of the memories and associations incident to their war service and the consecration of the efforts of their members to mutual helpfulness and to patriotic and community service to state and nation. To be exempt such property must be used in such manner as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes and objects of such societies.

The use of the property for pecuniary gain or to promote business activities, except fund raising activities conducted by a nonprofit organization, nullifies the exemption otherwise available for the property for the assessment year.

(5) Property owned by all corporations, incorporated under any act of congress, whose principal purposes are to furnish volunteer aid to members of the armed forces of the United States and also to carry on a system of national and international relief and to apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other national calamities and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same.

(6) Property owned by nonprofit organizations exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1954, as amended, that are guarantee agencies under the federal guaranteed student loan program or that issue debt to provide or acquire student loans.

(7) To be exempt under this section, the property must be used exclusively for the purposes for which exemption is granted, except as provided in RCW 84.36.805.

Sec. 7. Section 7, chapter 40, Laws of 1973 2nd ex. sess. as last amended by section 4, chapter 379, Laws of 1989 and RCW 84.36.805 are each amended to read as follows:

In order to be exempt pursuant to RCW 84.36.030, 84.36.035, 84.36.037, 84.36.040, 84.36.041, 84.36.045, 84.36.047, 84.36.050, 84.36.060, 84.36.350, and 84.36.480, the nonprofit organizations, associations or corporations shall satisfy the following conditions:

(a) The loan or rental of the property does not subject the property to tax if:

(ii) Except for the exemptions under RCW 84.36.030(4) and 84.36.037, the property would be exempt from tax if owned by the organization to which it is loaned or rented;

(b) The use of the property for fund-raising activities does not subject the property to tax if the fund-raising activities are consistent with the purposes for which the exemption is granted;

(2) The property is irrevocably dedicated to the purpose for which exemption has been granted, and on the liquidation, dissolution, or abandonment by said organization, association, or corporation, said property will not inure directly or indirectly to the benefit of any shareholder or individual, except a nonprofit organization, association, or corporation which too would be entitled to property tax exemption: PROVIDED, That the property need not be irrevocably dedicated if it is leased or rented to those qualified for exemption pursuant to RCW 84.36.040 or 84.36.041 or those qualified for exemption as an association engaged in the production or performance of musical, dance, artistic, dramatic, or literary works pursuant to RCW 84.36.060, but only if under the terms of the lease or rental agreement the nonprofit organization, association, or corporation receives the benefit of the exemption;

(3) The facilities and services are available to all regardless of race, color, national origin or ancestry;

(4) The organization, association, or corporation is duly licensed or certified where such licensing or certification is required by law or regulation;

(5) Property sold to organizations, associations, or corporations with an option to be repurchased by the seller shall not qualify for exempt status;

(6) The director of the department of revenue shall have access to its books in order to determine whether such organization, association, or corporation is exempt from taxes within the intent of RCW 84.36.030, 84.36.035, 84.36.037, 84.36.040, 84.36.041, 84.36.045, 84.36.047, 84.36.050, 84.36.060, 84.36.350, and 84.36.480.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 6 and 7 of this act shall not be construed as modifying or affecting any other existing or future exemptions.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Section 5 of this act expires December 31, 1996.