FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2190

                         C 196 L 96

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Exempting railroad associations from certain fees.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dyer and B. Thomas.

House Committee on Finance

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:  Railroad associations pay an annual fee to the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to cover the cost of regulation.  This fee is equal to 1.5 percent of the company's intrastate gross operating revenue.

Summary:  Railroad associations that qualify as not-for-profit charitable organizations under the federal Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) are exempt from the annual fee paid to the UTC to cover regulation costs.

Votes on Final Passage:

House     96 0

Senate    48 0

Effective:  June 6, 1996