CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

                   SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2708

                   Chapter 299, Laws of 1996

                        54th Legislature

                      1996 Regular Session

WAREHOUSE AND DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITY--STUDY OF IMPACT OF TAXES

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  6/6/96

Passed by the House March 7, 1996   Yeas 96   Nays 0              CLYDE BALLARD Speaker of the       House of Representatives Passed by the Senate March 7, 1996   Yeas 47   Nays 0

CERTIFICATE I, Timothy A. Martin, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2708 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.

JOEL PRITCHARD President of the Senate

TIMOTHY A. MARTIN                           Chief Clerk

Approved March 30, 1996 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

FILED                      March 30, 1996 - 4:33 p.m.

MIKE LOWRY Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State                   State of Washington

          _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2708

          _______________________________________________

                     AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

             Passed Legislature - 1996 Regular Session

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By House Committee on Finance (originally sponsored by Representatives Sheldon, Schoesler, Hatfield, Van Luven, B. Thomas, Silver, D. Schmidt, Cairnes, Cooke and Johnson)

Read first time 02/02/96. 

Requiring a warehouse tax study. 

    AN ACT Relating to the impact of taxes on warehouse and distribution activity; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The department of revenue shall perform a study to:

    (a) Determine the current and potential impact of warehouse and distribution activity on the Washington economy;

    (b) Analyze how the current tax structure affects warehouse and distribution activity;

    (c) Evaluate alternative methods of taxing warehouse and distribution activity;

    (d) Identify the effects of tax incentives for warehouse and distribution activity; and 

    (e) Evaluate the impact of any potential changes in taxation of warehouse and distribution activity on equity among other industries and upon the overall state tax structure.

    (2) To perform this study, the department shall form an advisory study committee which may include representation from warehouse and distribution interests, local government, and other interest groups.  The advisory committee shall also include, but need not be limited to, two members from the house of representatives and two members from the senate. 

    (3) The department of revenue shall provide staff for the purpose of the study.

    (4) The department of revenue shall present a final report of the findings of the study to the committees of the legislature that deal with revenue matters by December 1, 1996.

    (5) The department of revenue shall not perform the study under this section unless matching funds in the amount of forty-five thousand dollars are provided from other public and private sources.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  If specific funding in the amount of forty-five thousand dollars for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 1996, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.

    Passed the House March 7, 1996.

    Passed the Senate March 7, 1996.

Approved by the Governor March 30, 1996.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 30, 1996.