CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

                        SENATE BILL 5570

 

 

                   Chapter 324, Laws of 1997

 

 

                        55th Legislature

                      1997 Regular Session

 

 

TAX EVASION BY EMPLOYERS--PENALTIES

 

 

 

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  7/27/97

Passed by the Senate April 21, 1997

  YEAS 46   NAYS 0

 

 

 

               BRAD OWEN

President of the Senate

 

Passed by the House April 9, 1997

  YEAS 97   NAYS 0

             CERTIFICATE

 

I, Mike O=Connell, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is  SENATE BILL 5570 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

 

             CLYDE BALLARD

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

           MIKE O'CONNELL

                            Secretary

 

 

Approved May 12, 1997 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.   

                                FILED          

 

 

             May 12, 1997 - 3:34 p.m.

 

 

 

              GARY LOCKE

Governor of the State of Washington

                   Secretary of State

                  State of Washington


          _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 5570

          _______________________________________________

 

                      AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

             Passed Legislature - 1997 Regular Session

 

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

 

By Senators Newhouse, Schow, Horn, Heavey, Franklin, Fraser and Oke; by request of Joint Task Force on Nonpayment of Employer Obligations

 

Read first time 01/31/97.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Expanding tax evasion penalties.  


    AN ACT Relating to tax evasion; amending RCW 51.48.020; repealing RCW 51.48.015; and prescribing penalties.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 51.48.020 and 1995 c 160 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1)(a) Any employer, who knowingly misrepresents to the department the amount of his or her payroll or employee hours upon which the premium under this title is based, shall be liable to the state ((in)) for up to ten times the amount of the difference in premiums paid and the amount the employer should have paid and for the reasonable expenses of auditing his or her books and collecting such sums.  Such liability may be enforced in the name of the department.

    (b) An employer is guilty of a class C felony, if((such)):

    (i) The employer, with intent to evade determination and payment of the correct amount of the premiums, knowingly makes misrepresentations ((are made knowingly, an employer shall also be guilty of a felony, or gross misdemeanor in accordance with the theft and anticipatory provisions of Title 9A RCW)) regarding payroll or employee hours; or

    (ii) The employer engages in employment covered under this title and, with intent to evade determination and payment of the correct amount of the premiums, knowingly fails to secure payment of compensation under this title or knowingly fails to report the payroll or employee hours related to that employment.

    (c) Upon conviction under (b) of this subsection, the employer shall be ordered by the court to pay the premium due and owing, a penalty in the amount of one hundred percent of the premium due and owing, and interest on the premium and penalty from the time the premium was due until the date of payment. The court shall:

    (A) Collect the premium and interest and transmit it to the department of labor and industries; and

    (B) Collect the penalty and disburse it pro rata as follows:  One-third to the investigative agencies involved; one-third to the prosecuting authority; and one-third to the general fund of the county in which the matter was prosecuted.

    Payments collected under this subsection must be applied until satisfaction of the obligation in the following order:  Premium payments; penalty; and interest.

    (2) Any person claiming benefits under this title, who knowingly gives false information required in any claim or application under this title shall be guilty of a felony, or gross misdemeanor in accordance with the theft and anticipatory provisions of Title 9A RCW.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. RCW 51.48.015 and 1971 ex.s. c 289 s 62 are each repealed.


    Passed the Senate April 21, 1997.

    Passed the House April 9, 1997.

Approved by the Governor May 12, 1997.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 12, 1997.