H-3170.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2242
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 1st Special Session
By Representatives Wang, Horn, Hine, Holland, Franklin, Wineberry, Phillips, Pruitt, Cole, Zellinsky, G. Fisher, Scott, H. Sommers, Nelson, O'Brien, May, Valle, D. Sommers, Moyer, Miller, Padden, Betrozoff, Forner, Wood, Paris, Wynne, Mitchell, Bowman, Neher, Schmidt, P. Johnson, Tate, Edmondson, Vance, Ballard and Casada.
Read first time June 27, 1991. Referred to Committee on .
AN ACT Relating to delaying the phase-in of property taxes for homes for the aging; amending RCW 84.36.041; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 84.36.041 and 1991 c 203 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) All real and personal property used by a nonprofit home for the aging that is reasonably necessary for the purposes of the home is exempt from taxation if the benefit of the exemption inures to the home and:
(a) At least fifty percent of the occupied dwelling units in the home are occupied by eligible residents; or
(b) The home is subsidized under a federal department of housing and urban development program. The department of revenue shall provide by rule a definition of homes eligible for exemption under this subsection (b), consistent with the purposes of this section.
(2) A home for the aging is eligible for a partial exemption if the home does not meet the requirements of subsection (1) of this section because fewer than fifty percent of the occupied dwelling units are occupied by eligible residents. The amount of exemption shall be calculated by multiplying the assessed value of the property reasonably necessary for the purposes of the home by a fraction. The numerator of the fraction is the number of dwelling units occupied by eligible persons multiplied by two. The denominator of the fraction is the total number of occupied dwelling units. The fraction shall never exceed one.
(3) To be exempt under this section, the property must be used exclusively for the purposes for which the exemption is granted, except as provided in RCW 84.36.805.
(4) A home for the aging is exempt from taxation only if the organization operating the home is exempt from income tax under section 501(c) of the federal internal revenue code as existing on January 1, 1989, or such subsequent date as the director may provide by rule consistent with the purposes of this section.
(5) Each eligible resident of a home for the aging shall submit the form required under RCW 84.36.385 to the county assessor by July 1st of the assessment year. An eligible resident who has filed a form for a previous year need not file a new form until there is a change in status affecting the person's eligibility.
(6) In determining the true and fair value of a home for the aging for purposes of the partial exemption provided by subsection (2) of this section, the assessor shall apply the computation method provided by RCW 84.34.060 and shall consider only the use to which such property is applied during the years for which such partial exemptions are available and shall not consider potential uses of such property.
(7) A home for the aging that was exempt for taxes levied for collection in 1990 and is not fully exempt under this section is entitled to partial exemptions as follows:
(a) For taxes levied for collection in 1991 and 1992, two-thirds of the assessed value that would otherwise be subject to tax under this section is exempt from taxation.
(b)
For taxes levied for collection in ((1992)) 1993, one-third of
the assessed value that would otherwise be subject to tax under this section is
exempt from taxation.
(8) As used in this section:
(a) "Eligible resident" means a person who would be eligible for an exemption of regular property taxes under RCW 84.36.381 if the person owned a single-family dwelling. For the purposes of determining eligibility under this section, a "cotenant" as used in RCW 84.36.383 means a person who resides with an eligible resident and who shares personal financial resources with the eligible resident.
(b) "Home for the aging" means a residential housing facility that (i) provides a housing arrangement chosen voluntarily by the resident, the resident's guardian or conservator, or another responsible person; (ii) has only residents who are at least sixty-two years of age or who have needs for care generally compatible with persons who are at least sixty-two years of age; and (iii) provides varying levels of care and supervision, as agreed to at the time of admission or as determined necessary at subsequent times of reappraisal.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.