HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5290

                       As Passed House

                       April 10, 1997

Title:  An act relating to the liquor control board construction and maintenance account.

Brief Description:  Providing that the liquor control board construction and maintenance account retain its earnings.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators West and Spanel; by request of Liquor Control Board).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  4/5/97 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  4/10/97, 95‑0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 31 members:  Representatives Huff, Chairman; Alexander, Vice Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Wensman, Vice Chairman; H. Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Doumit, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Gombosky, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Benson; Carlson; Chopp; Cody; Cooke; Crouse; Dyer; Grant; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Lambert; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McMorris; Parlette; Poulsen; Regala; D. Schmidt; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Jeff Olsen (786-7157).

Background:  The Legislature approved the construction of a new $30 million distribution center for the Liquor Control Board in the 1995 capital budget.  On July 1, 1996 the board imposed an additional 20 cents per liter tax on spirituous liquor sold in Washington to pay for the construction and maintenance of the new distribution center.  The moneys from this surtax have been placed in the Liquor Revolving Fund.  The state treasurer has offered Certificates of Participation (COPs) to finance the construction of the new facility.

Summary of Bill:  The Liquor Control Board Construction and Maintenance Account is created in the state treasury. The board shall deposit a portion of the markup in the account to fund construction and maintenance of a centralized distribution center.  The state treasurer shall transfer the markup from the Liquor Revolving Fund to the construction and maintenance account by June 30, 1997.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Creation of the fund is necessary to retire the COPs used to finance the construction of the new distribution facility.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Carter Mitchell and Susan Heltsley, Liquor Control Board.