H-4199.3 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 3137
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session
By Representative B. Thomas
Read first time . Referred to Committee on .
AN ACT Relating to lodging tax advisory committees; and amending RCW 67.28.1817.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 67.28.1817 and 1997 c 452 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
Before imposing a tax under RCW 67.28.181, a municipality with a population of
five thousand or more shall establish a lodging tax advisory committee under
this section. A lodging tax advisory committee shall consist of at least five
members, appointed by the legislative body of the municipality, unless the municipality
has a charter providing for a different appointment authority. The committee
membership shall ((include)) consist of the following: (a) At
least two members who are representatives of businesses required to collect tax
under this chapter; ((and)) (b) at least two members who are persons
involved in activities authorized to be funded by revenue received under this
chapter; and (c) one member who is an elected official of the municipality
who shall serve as chair. Persons who are eligible for appointment under
(a) of this subsection are not eligible for appointment under (b) of this
subsection. ((Persons who are eligible for appointment under (b) of this
subsection are not eligible for appointment under (a) of this subsection.))
Organizations representing businesses required to collect tax under this
chapter, organizations involved in activities authorized to be funded by
revenue received under this chapter, and local agencies involved in tourism
promotion may submit recommendations for membership on the committee. The
number of members who are representatives of businesses required to collect tax
under this chapter shall equal the number of members who are involved in
activities authorized to be funded by revenue received under this chapter. ((One
member shall be an elected official of the municipality who shall serve as
chair of the committee.)) An advisory committee for a county may include
one nonvoting member who is an elected official of a city or town in the
county. An advisory committee for a city or town may include one nonvoting
member who is an elected official of the county in which the city or town is
located. The appointing authority shall review the membership of the advisory
committee annually and make changes as appropriate.
(2) Any municipality that proposes imposition of a tax under this chapter, an increase in the rate of a tax imposed under this chapter, repeal of an exemption from a tax imposed under this chapter, or a change in the use of revenue received under this chapter shall submit the proposal to the lodging tax advisory committee for review and comment. The submission shall occur at least forty-five days before final action on or passage of the proposal by the municipality. The advisory committee shall submit comments on the proposal in a timely manner through generally applicable public comment procedures. The comments shall include an analysis of the extent to which the proposal will accommodate activities for tourists or increase tourism, and the extent to which the proposal will affect the long-term stability of the fund created under RCW 67.28.1815. Failure of the advisory committee to submit comments before final action on or passage of the proposal shall not prevent the municipality from acting on the proposal. A municipality is not required to submit an amended proposal to an advisory committee under this section.
(3) If a municipality with a population of less than five thousand establishes a lodging tax advisory committee, then the committee shall be composed according to subsection (1) of this section and shall follow the procedures according to subsection (2) of this section.
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