H-0633.2  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 1738

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Poulsen, Cole, Cody, H. Sommers, Keiser, Gombosky, Chopp, Kenney, Tokuda, Regala, Constantine, Dickerson, Fisher, Lantz, Butler, Ogden, Blalock, Murray, Mason and Scott

 

Read first time 02/06/97.  Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

Redefining fiscal growth factor.


    AN ACT Relating to the state expenditure limit; and amending RCW 43.135.025.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 43.135.025 and 1994 c 2 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The state shall not expend from the general fund during any fiscal year state moneys in excess of the state expenditure limit established under this chapter.

    (2) Except pursuant to a declaration of emergency under RCW 43.135.035 or pursuant to an appropriation under RCW 43.135.045(4)(b), the state treasurer shall not issue or redeem any check, warrant, or voucher that will result in a state general fund expenditure for any fiscal year in excess of the state expenditure limit established under this chapter.  A violation of this subsection constitutes a violation of RCW 43.88.290 and shall subject the state treasurer to the penalties provided in RCW 43.88.300.

    (3) The state expenditure limit for any fiscal year shall be the previous fiscal year's state expenditure limit increased by a percentage rate that equals the fiscal growth factor.

    (4) For purposes of computing the state expenditure limit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995, the phrase "the previous fiscal year's state expenditure limit" means the total state expenditures from the state general fund, not including federal funds, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1989, plus the fiscal growth factor.  This calculation is then computed for the state expenditure limit for fiscal years 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995, and as required under RCW 43.135.035(4).

    (5) Each November, the office of financial management shall adjust the expenditure limit for the preceding fiscal year based on actual expenditures and known changes in the fiscal growth factor and then project an expenditure limit for the next two fiscal years.  The office of financial management shall notify the legislative fiscal committees of all adjustments to the state expenditure limit and projections of future expenditure limits.

    (6) "Fiscal growth factor" means the average of the sum of inflation and population change of the five to twenty-five year old age cohort for each of the prior three fiscal years.

    (7) "Inflation" means the percentage change in the implicit price deflator for the United States for each fiscal year as published by the federal bureau of labor statistics.

    (8) "Population change" means the percentage change in state population ages five through twenty-five years old for each fiscal year as reported by the office of financial management.

 


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