H-4536.1
HOUSE BILL 2985
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State of Washington | 65th Legislature | 2018 Regular Session |
By Representative Kagi
Read first time 02/06/18. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
AN ACT Relating to enhancing educational opportunities for vulnerable youth using funding distributed from the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account; and amending RCW
43.79.520.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 43.79.520 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 44 s 423 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account is created in the custody of the state ((treasury)) treasurer. Moneys in the account ((may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may only be used for distribution)) are not subject to appropriation. Only the state treasurer or the treasurer's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The treasurer may expend moneys in the account only for distribution to counties where a portion of the county is within the boundaries of a regional transit authority that includes a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more. Counties may use distributions from the account only ((for educational services to improve educational outcomes in early learning, K-12, and higher education including, but not limited to, for youths that are low-income, homeless, or in foster care, or other vulnerable populations)) as provided in subsection (3) of this section. Counties receiving distributions under this section must track all expenditures and uses of the funds. To the greatest extent practicable, the expenditures of the counties must follow the requirements of any transportation subarea equity element used by the regional transit authority.
(2) Beginning September 1, 2017, and by the last day of September, December, March, and June of each year thereafter, the state treasurer shall distribute moneys deposited in the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account to counties for which a portion of the county is within the boundaries of a regional transit authority that includes a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more. The treasurer must make the distribution to the counties on the relative basis of that transit authority's population that lives within the respective counties.
(3)(a) Beginning with the September 2018 distribution under subsection (2) of this section, counties must spend the distributions for early learning facilities and services, and K-12 and postsecondary support for youth and young adults who are low income, homeless, in foster care, or in the juvenile justice system.
(b) Funding may be used to start an endowment to provide support under this subsection. Funding under this section may not be used to supplant other funding for programs providing services to homeless youth, youth in foster care, and youth in the juvenile justice system.
(c) Counties may use funding distributed under this section to pay debt service on local bonds whose proceeds are used for facilities or program costs authorized under this subsection (3).
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