HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5098

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                    Government Operations

Title:  An act relating to county financial functions.

Brief Description:  Reenacting sections about county financial functions.

Sponsors:  Senators Loveland and Winsley.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  3/21/95, 3/22/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; L. Thomas, Vice Chairman; Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; R. Fisher; Honeyford; Hymes; Sommers; Van Luven and Wolfe.

Minority Report:  Without recommendation.  Signed by 2 members:  Representatives Hargrove and Mulliken.

  Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  SSB 5372 was enacted in 1994, as Chapter 301, Laws of 1994, Special Session. As introduced, that legislation altered a variety of tax provisions.  However, SSB 5372 was amended to include many provisions of another bill relating to other financial functions of county officials.

The title of SSB 5372 was "An act relating to taxation."  There is some concern that the subject of some of the sections that were amended onto SSB 5372 was not adequately expressed in the bill title, as required by Article II, Section 19 of the state constitution.

Summary of Bill:  Eleven sections of Chapter 301, Session Laws of 1994, are reenacted as they were enacted in 1994.  The title of this legislation is "An act relating to county financial functions."

These sections relate to the following financial functions of county officials:

oCourts of limited jurisdiction are authorized to use of credit cards for purposes of billing and collecting unpaid penalties, assessments, and forfeitures.

oCities and towns are allowed to protect their liens on outstanding local improvement district assessments on property when the county treasurer forecloses the lien on the property for delinquent and unpaid property taxes.

oThe maximum number of days, after the end of a biweekly pay period within which county employees must receive their compensation, is extended if the county has assumed the powers and authorities of a metropolitan municipal corporation.

oCounty treasurers are allowed to liquidate investments of a local government if necessary to redeem warrants issued for that local government from any fund.  County treasurers are allowed to provide certain collection services for county departments.

oThe county treasurer, as the ex-officio treasurer of a special district, acts as the fiscal agent or may appoint a fiscal agent to be used by the county for that special district.

oLaws on short-term debt obligations are altered to take cognizance that the county treasurer in some instances acts as the ex-officio treasurer of various special districts.

oA person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor who re-uses or transfers, in addition to forges, a mobile home movement decal.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Bond counsels believe the bill title may create problems and should be corrected.  This is a technical bill.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Fred Saeger, Washington Association of County Officials.