FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5028

                         PARTIAL VETO

                          C 393 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Modifying county treasury management.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Sellar, Swecker and Loveland).

Senate Committee on Government Operations

House Committee on Government Administration

Background:  Over time, as county treasurers implement the laws pertaining to the counties= daily operations, the various ambiguities and inconsistencies of the statutes become apparent.

Summary:  The costs recovered in foreclosure proceedings for collection of delinquent local improvement assessments and water-sewer district liens must include administrative costs.  The role of the treasurer to implement, on a daily basis, the investment policies set by the county finance committee is clarified.

The duties of the treasurer and auditor are made consistent.  The investment authority language for the proceeds of road improvement bonds and port districts is made consistent with the authority for other county investments.

Taxes and assessments must be collected prior to recording the plat rather than prior to filing the plat.

The deadline for the treasurer=s year-end reporting of uncollectible personal taxes, real property taxes and property tax refunds is extended one month, to February.

All special assessments must be included with the taxes eligible to be deferred under the senior citizen and disabled tax deferral program.

The requirement that first class cities pay the county for clerk hiring is repealed.  The counties= authority to invest inactive or excess county funds in U.S. government bonds is repealed.

Property cannot be segregated for tax purposes unless all delinquent taxes and assessments on the entire parcel have been paid.

A county treasurer may permit payments of nontax items by credit card without charging a transaction fee.  Any amount of property taxes that are in excess of the deposit must still be paid.  Honoring the 106 percent limitation is clarified not to result in increased property taxes.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 48 0

House     94 1 (House amended)

Senate    47 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 27, 1997

Partial Veto Summary:  The veto reconciles the provisions of this bill with the duplicative provisions of a different bill which was previously signed into law.  These provisions concern the senior and disabled citizens= special property tax deferral program.