H-3634.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2417

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Pennington, Mielke, Hatfield, Doumit, Ogden, Carlson, Alexander and Hankins

Read first time 01/13/98.  Referred to Committee on Finance.

Authorizing local vehicle license fees adopted to fund specific projects.

    AN ACT Relating to local vehicle license fees adopted to fund specific projects; and amending RCW 82.80.020.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 82.80.020 and 1996 c 139 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1)(a) Subject to (b) of this subsection, the legislative authority of a county may fix and impose an additional fee, not to exceed fifteen dollars per vehicle, for each vehicle that is subject to license fees under RCW 46.16.060 and each vehicle subject to RCW 46.16.070 with an unladen weight of six thousand pounds or less and is determined by the department of licensing to be registered within the boundaries of the county.

(b) The legislative authority of a county, upon the request of a city or town, may fix and impose an additional fee within less-than-county-wide boundaries adopted by the legislative authority, not to exceed fifteen dollars per vehicle, for each vehicle that is subject to license fees under RCW 46.16.060 and each vehicle subject to RCW 46.16.070 with an unladen weight of six thousand pounds or less and is determined by the department of licensing to be registered within the boundaries adopted under this subsection (1)(b).  If a fee is imposed under this subsection (1)(b), the county may also impose a fee under (a) of this subsection, but may not impose the fee under (a) of this subsection within the boundaries adopted under this subsection (1)(b).

    (2) The department of licensing shall administer and collect ((the)) fees adopted under this section.  The department shall deduct a percentage amount, as provided by contract, not to exceed two percent of the taxes collected, for administration and collection expenses incurred by it.  The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer for monthly distribution under RCW 82.80.080.

    (3) The proceeds of ((this)) the fee imposed under subsection (1)(a) of this section shall be used strictly for transportation purposes in accordance with RCW 82.80.070.  The proceeds of the fee imposed under subsection (1)(b) of this section shall be used strictly for an identified project or a specific number of years, specified by the county legislative authority when the county legislative authority authorizes the fee, that is for transportation purposes in accordance with RCW 82.80.070.

    (4) A county imposing ((this)) fees under this section or initiating an exemption process shall delay the effective date at least six months from the date the ordinance is enacted to allow the department of licensing to implement administration and collection of or exemption from the fees.

    (5) The legislative authority of a county may develop and initiate an exemption process of the ((fifteen dollar)) fees adopted under this section for the registered owners of vehicles residing within the boundaries ((of the county)) in which the fees are imposed:  (a) Who are sixty-one years old or older at the time payment of the fee is due and whose household income for the previous calendar year is less than an amount prescribed by the county legislative authority((,)); or (b) who ((has)) have a physical disability.

    (6) The legislative authority of a county shall develop and initiate an exemption process of the ((fifteen-dollar)) fees adopted under this section for vehicles registered within the boundaries ((of the county)) in which the fees are imposed that are licensed under RCW 46.16.374.

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