2376-S AMH HALE JOND 092

SHB 2376 - H AMD 857

By Representative Haler

NOT ADOPTED 02/25/2016

    On page 153, line 17, increase the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2016 by $1,036,000

    On page 153, line 19, increase the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2017 by $1,037,000

    On page 154, line 15, correct the total.

    On page 156, after line 27, insert the following:

    "(17) $1,036,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2016 and $1,037,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2017 are provided solely for payments in lieu of property taxes under RCW 77.12.203."

    On page 297, after line 13, insert the following:

    "Sec. 920. RCW 77.12.203 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 4 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section and notwithstanding RCW 84.36.010 or other statutes to the contrary, the director must pay by April 30th of each year on game lands, regardless of acreage, in each county, if requested by an election under RCW 77.12.201, an amount in lieu of real property taxes equal to that amount paid on similar parcels of open space land taxable under chapter 84.34 RCW or the greater of seventy cents per acre per year or the amount paid in 1984 plus an additional amount for control of noxious weeds equal to that which would be paid if such lands were privately owned. This amount may not be assessed or paid on department buildings, structures, facilities, game farms, fish hatcheries, water access sites, tidelands, or public fishing areas.

    (2) "Game lands," as used in this section and RCW 77.12.201, means those tracts, regardless of acreage, owned in fee by the department and used for wildlife habitat and public recreational purposes. All lands purchased for wildlife habitat, public access, or recreation purposes with federal funds in the Snake River drainage basin are considered game lands regardless of acreage.

    (3) This section does not apply to lands transferred after April 23, 1990, to the department from other state agencies.

    (4) The county must distribute the amount received under this section in lieu of real property taxes to all property taxing districts except the state in appropriate tax code areas the same way it would distribute local property taxes from private property. The county must distribute the amount received under this section for weed control to the appropriate weed district.

    (5) For the 2013-2015 ((and 2015-2017 fiscal biennia)) fiscal biennium, the director must pay by April 30th of each year on game lands in each county, if requested by an election under RCW 77.12.201, an amount in lieu of real property taxes and must be distributed as follows:

County

Adams. . . .1,909

Asotin. . . .36,123

Chelan. . . .24,757

Columbia. . . .7,795

Ferry. . . .6,781

Garfield. . . .4,840

Grant. . . .37,443

Kittitas. . . .143,974

Klickitat. . . .21,906

Lincoln. . . .13,535

Okanogan. . . .151,402

Pend Oreille. . . .3,309

Yakima. . . .126,225

These amounts may not be assessed or paid on department buildings, structures, facilities, game farms, fish hatcheries, water access sites, tidelands, or public fishing areas."

    Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

    Correct the title.

EFFECT:   Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to make payments in lieu of taxes at rates elected by counties, rather than rates determined in the operating budget. Provides funding to DFW to provide these payments at rates elected by counties.

FISCAL IMPACT:

           Increases General Fund - State by $2,073,000.

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