H-1747.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1945

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Dunn and Boldt

Read first time 02/14/97.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Concerning foreclosed property deeded by a county for use as state forest land.

    AN ACT Relating to county expenditures of revenues generated by forest board lands; and amending RCW 76.12.030.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 76.12.030 and 1991 c 363 s 151 are each amended to read as follows:

    If any land acquired by a county through foreclosure of tax liens, or otherwise, comes within the classification of land described in RCW 76.12.020 and can be used as state forest land and if the department deems such land necessary for the purposes of this chapter, the county shall, upon demand by the department, deed such land to the department and the land shall become a part of the state forest lands.

    Such land shall be held in trust and administered and protected by the department as other state forest lands.  Any moneys derived from the lease of such land or from the sale of forest products, oils, gases, coal, minerals, or fossils therefrom, shall be distributed as follows:

    (1) The expense incurred by the state for administration, reforestation, and protection, not to exceed twenty-five percent, which rate of percentage shall be determined by the board of natural resources, shall be returned to the forest development account in the state general fund.

    (2) Any balance remaining shall be paid to the county in which the land is located to be paid, distributed, and prorated, except as hereinafter provided, to the various funds in the same manner as general taxes are paid and distributed during the year of payment:  PROVIDED, That any such balance remaining paid to a county with a population of less than ((nine)) sixteen thousand shall first be applied to the reduction of any indebtedness existing in the current expense fund of such county during the year of payment.

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