H-4000

AN ACT Relating to municipal criminal justice account distributions based on city crime rates; reenacting and amending RCW 82.14.320; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 82.14.320 and 1991 sp.s. c 26 s 1 and 1991 sp.s. c 13 s 30 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) The municipal criminal justice assistance account is created in the state treasury. The account shall consist of all motor vehicle excise tax receipts deposited into the account under chapter 82.44 RCW.

(2) No city may receive a distribution under this section from the municipal criminal justice assistance account unless:

(a) The city has a crime rate in excess of one hundred twenty-five percent of the state-wide average as calculated in the most recent annual report on crime in Washington state as published by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs;

(b) The city has levied the tax authorized in RCW 82.14.030(2) at the maximum rate or the tax authorized in RCW 82.46.010(2) at the maximum rate; and

(c) The city has a per capita yield from the tax imposed under RCW 82.14.030(1) at the maximum rate of less than one hundred fifty percent of the state-wide average per capita yield for all cities from such local sales and use tax.

(3) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section shall be distributed at such times as distributions are made under RCW 82.44.150. The distributions shall be made as follows:

(a) Unless reduced by this subsection, thirty percent of the moneys shall be distributed ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management to those cities eligible under subsection (2) of this section that have a crime rate determined under subsection (2)(a) of this section which is greater than ((~~two times~~)) one hundred seventy-five percent of the state-wide average crime rate. No city may receive more than fifty percent of any moneys distributed under this subsection (a) but, if a city distribution is reduced as a result of exceeding the fifty percent limitation, the amount not distributed shall be distributed under (b) of this subsection.

(b) The remainder of the moneys, including any moneys not distributed in subsection (2)(a) of this section, shall be distributed to all cities eligible under subsection (2) of this section ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management.

(4) No city may receive more than thirty percent of all moneys distributed under subsection (3) of this section.

(5) Moneys distributed under this section shall be expended exclusively for criminal justice purposes and shall not be used to replace or supplant existing funding. Criminal justice purposes are defined as activities that substantially assist the criminal justice system, which may include circumstances where ancillary benefit to the civil justice system occurs. Existing funding for purposes of this subsection is defined as calendar year 1989 actual operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes. Calendar year 1989 actual operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes exclude the following: Expenditures for extraordinary events not likely to reoccur, changes in contract provisions for criminal justice services, beyond the control of the local jurisdiction receiving the services, and major nonrecurring capital expenditures.

(6) This section expires January 1, 1994.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. 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.