S-0613.2                   _______________________________________________

 

                                                     SENATE BILL 5521

                              _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

 

By Senators Loveland, Prince, Vognild, Sheldon, Quigley, Jesernig, Skratek, McAuliffe and Snyder

 

Read first time 02/01/93.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

 

Funding criminal justice programs.


          AN ACT Relating to criminal justice programs; amending RCW 82.14.310, 82.14.320, 82.14.330, 82.44.110, and 72.09.300; reenacting and amending RCW 82.14.340; adding a new section to chapter 82.14 RCW; and making appropriations.

 

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

 

        Sec. 1.  RCW 82.14.310 and 1991 c 311 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The county 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) The moneys deposited in the county criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section shall be distributed at such times as distributions are made under RCW 82.44.150 and on the relative basis of each county's funding factor as determined under this subsection.

          (a) A county's funding factor is the sum of:

          (i) The population of the county, divided by one thousand, and multiplied by two-tenths;

          (ii) The crime rate of the county, multiplied by three-tenths; and

          (iii) The annual number of criminal cases filed in the county superior court, for each one thousand in population, multiplied by five-tenths.

          (b) Under this section and RCW 82.14.320 and 82.14.330:

          (i) The population of the county or city shall be as last determined by the office of financial management;

          (ii) The crime rate of the county or city is the annual occurrence of specified criminal offenses, as calculated in the most recent annual report on crime in Washington state as published by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, for each one thousand in population;

          (iii) The annual number of criminal cases filed in the county superior court shall be determined by the most recent annual report of the courts of Washington, as published by the office of the administrator for the courts.

          (iv) Distributions and eligibility for distributions in the 1989‑91 biennium shall be based on 1988 figures for both the crime rate as described under (ii) of this subsection and the annual number of criminal cases that are filed as described under (iii) of this subsection.  Future distributions shall be based on the most recent figures for both the crime rate as described under (ii) of this subsection and the annual number of criminal cases that are filed as described under (iii) of this subsection.

          (3) 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.

          (((4) This section expires January 1, 1994.))

 

        Sec. 2.  RCW 82.14.320 and 1992 c 55 s 1 are each 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))) 82.46.010(3) 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 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.))

 

        Sec. 3.  RCW 82.14.330 and 1991 c 311 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) 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.  Such moneys shall be distributed to the cities of the state as follows:

          (a) For fiscal year 1991, each city with a population of under ten thousand shall receive a distribution of three thousand two hundred fifty dollars.  Any remaining moneys shall be distributed to all cities ratably on the basis of population as last determined by the office of financial management.

          (b) For fiscal year 1992 and thereafter, each city with a population of under ten thousand shall receive a distribution of two thousand seven hundred fifty dollars.  Any remaining moneys shall be distributed to all cities ratably on the basis of population as last determined by the office of financial management.

          (2) 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.

          (((3) This section expires January 1, 1994.))

 

        Sec. 4.  RCW 82.14.340 and 1991 c 311 s 5 and 1991 c 301 s 16 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

          The legislative authority of any county ((with a population of two hundred thousand or more, any county located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains with a population of one hundred fifty thousand or more, and any other county with a population of one hundred fifty thousand or more that has had its population increase by at least twenty-four percent during the preceding nine years, as certified by the office of financial management for the first day of April of each year, may and, if requested by resolution of the governing bodies of cities in the county with an aggregate population equal to or greater than fifty percent of the total population of the county, as last determined by the office of financial management, shall submit an authorizing proposition to the voters of the county and if approved by a majority of persons voting,)) may fix and impose a sales and use tax in accordance with the terms of this chapter, provided that such sales and use tax is subject to repeal by referendum, using the procedures provided in RCW 82.14.036.  The referendum procedure provided in RCW 82.14.036 is the exclusive method for subjecting any county sales and use tax ordinance or resolution to a referendum vote.

          The tax authorized in this section shall be in addition to any other taxes authorized by law and shall be collected from those persons who are taxable by the state pursuant to chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW upon the occurrence of any taxable event within such county.  The rate of tax shall equal one-tenth of one percent of the selling price (in the case of a sales tax) or value of the article used (in the case of a use tax).

          When distributing moneys collected under this section, the state treasurer shall distribute ten percent of the moneys to the county in which the tax was collected.  The remainder of the moneys collected under this section shall be distributed to the county and the cities within the county ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management.  In making the distribution based on population, the county shall receive that proportion that the unincorporated population of the county bears to the total population of the county and each city shall receive that proportion that the city incorporated population bears to the total county population.

          Moneys received from any tax imposed 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.  Moneys received by the county and the cities within the county from any tax imposed under this section may be expended for domestic violence community advocates, as defined in RCW 70.123.020, if, prior to July 28, 1991, and prior to approval of the voters, the legislative authority of the county, which submitted an authorizing proposition to the voters of the county, adopted by ordinance a financial plan that included expenditure of a portion of the moneys received for domestic violence community advocates.

          ((This section expires January 1, 1994.))

 

        Sec. 5.  RCW 82.44.110 and 1991 c 199 s 221 are each amended to read as follows:

          The county auditor shall regularly, when remitting license fee receipts, pay over and account to the director of licensing for the excise taxes collected under the provisions of this chapter.  The director shall forthwith transmit the excise taxes to the state treasurer.

          (1) The state treasurer shall deposit the excise taxes collected under RCW 82.44.020(1) as follows:

          (a) 1.60 percent into the motor vehicle fund to defray administrative and other expenses incurred by the department in the collection of the excise tax.

          (b) 8.15 percent into the Puget Sound capital construction account in the motor vehicle fund.

          (c) 4.07 percent into the Puget Sound ferry operations account in the motor vehicle fund.

          (d) 8.83 percent into the general fund to be distributed under RCW 82.44.155.

          (e) 4.75 percent into the municipal sales and use tax equalization account in the general fund created in RCW 82.14.210.

          (f) 1.60 percent into the county sales and use tax equalization account in the general fund created in RCW 82.14.200.

          (g) 62.6440 percent into the general fund through June 30, 1993, and 57.6440 percent into the general fund beginning July 1, 1993((, and 66 percent into the general fund beginning January 1, 1994)).

          (h) 5 percent into the transportation fund created in RCW 82.44.180 beginning July 1, 1993.

          (i) 5.9686 percent into the county criminal justice assistance account created in RCW 82.14.310 ((through December 31, 1993)).

          (j) 1.1937 percent into the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under RCW 82.14.320 ((through December 31, 1993)).

          (k) 1.1937 percent into the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under RCW 82.14.330 ((through December 31, 1993)).

          (2) The state treasurer shall deposit the excise taxes collected under RCW 82.44.020(2) into the transportation fund.

          (3) The state treasurer shall deposit the excise tax imposed by RCW 82.44.020(3) into the air pollution control account created by RCW 70.94.015.

 

        Sec. 6.  RCW 72.09.300 and 1991 c 363 s 148 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) ((A)) Every county legislative authority ((may)) shall by resolution or ordinance establish a local law and justice council.  The county legislative authority shall determine the size and composition of the council, which shall include the county sheriff and a representative of the municipal police departments within the county, the county prosecutor and a representative of the municipal prosecutors within the county, a representative of the city legislative authorities within the county, a representative of the county's superior, district, and municipal courts, the county jail administrator, the county clerk, the county risk manager, and the secretary of corrections.  Officials designated may appoint representatives.

          (2) A combination of counties may establish a local law and justice council by intergovernmental agreement.  The agreement shall comply with the requirements of this section.

          (3) The local law and justice council shall develop a local law and justice plan for the county.  The council shall design the elements and scope of the plan, subject to final approval by the county legislative authority.  The general intent of the plan shall include seeking means to maximize local resources including personnel and facilities, reduce duplication of services, and share resources between local and state government in order to accomplish local efficiencies without diminishing effectiveness.  The plan shall also include a section on jail management.  This section may include the following elements:

          (a) A description of current jail conditions, including whether the jail is overcrowded;

          (b) A description of potential alternatives to incarceration;

          (c) A description of current jail resources;

          (d) A description of the jail population as it presently exists and how it is projected to change in the future;

          (e) A description of projected future resource requirements;

          (f) A proposed action plan, which shall include recommendations to maximize resources, maximize the use of intermediate sanctions, minimize overcrowding, avoid duplication of services, and effectively manage the jail and the offender population;

          (g) A list of proposed advisory jail standards and methods to effect periodic quality assurance inspections of the jail;

          (h) A proposed plan to collect, synthesize, and disseminate technical information concerning local criminal justice activities, facilities, and procedures;

          (i) A description of existing and potential services for offenders including employment services, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and housing referral services.

          (4) The council may propose other elements of the plan, which shall be subject to review and approval by the county legislative authority, prior to their inclusion into the plan.

          (5) The county legislative authority may request technical assistance in developing or implementing the plan from other units or agencies of state or local government, which shall include the department, the office of financial management, and the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs.

          (6) Upon receiving a request for assistance from a county, the department may provide the requested assistance.

          (7) The secretary may adopt rules for the submittal, review, and approval of all requests for assistance made to the department.  The secretary may also appoint an advisory committee of local and state government officials to recommend policies and procedures relating to the state and local correctional systems and to assist the department in providing technical assistance to local governments.  The committee shall include representatives of the county sheriffs, the police chiefs, the county prosecuting attorneys, the county and city legislative authorities, and the jail administrators.  The secretary may contract with other state and local agencies and provide funding in order to provide the assistance requested by counties.

          (8) The department shall establish a base level of state correctional services, which shall be determined and distributed in a consistent manner state-wide.  The department's contributions to any local government, approved pursuant to this section, shall not operate to reduce this base level of services.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.  A new section is added to chapter 82.14 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) A task force on city and county finances is established, to consist of:

          (a) Two members of the senate, with no more than one member from the majority caucus, to be appointed by the president of the senate;

          (b) Two members of the house of representatives, with no more than one member from the majority caucus, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

          (c) Two city officials, to be appointed by the governor;

          (d) Two county officials, to be appointed by the governor;

          (e) Two nonvoting representatives of the governor, to be appointed by the governor; and

          (f) One judge, to be appointed by the governor.

          (2) The task force shall examine and make recommendations on the following subjects:

          (a) The need for additional fiscal assistance to cities and counties, including the local criminal justice system such as law enforcement agencies, the courts, indigent defense, and jails;

          (b) The adequacy of city and county revenues, including direct and indirect state assistance, local revenue and debt capacity, and local option taxes;

          (c) Statutory or administrative changes that will promote efficiencies in local government, including the multijurisdictional coordination of services; and

          (d) The progress made in reaching agreements on county-wide service funding and provision and growth management impacts on county and city resources.

          (3) In conducting its business, the task force shall seek the cooperation and participation of appropriate state agencies, legislative committees, and organizations representing city and county governments and officials.  The task force shall coordinate its work with, and not duplicate, the efforts of other legislative task forces and select committees.

          (4) By September 1, 1995, the task force shall submit a report, including its findings and recommendations, to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature.

          (5) Administrative and staff support of the task force shall be provided by the senate and house of representatives.

          (6) This section expires on December 31, 1995.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8.  (1) The sum of fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund to the senate for the purposes of section 7 of this act.

          (2) The sum of fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund to the house of representatives for the purposes of section 7 of this act.

 


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