H-3458.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2347

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State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Representatives Thomas and Van Luven

Read first time 01/11/2000.  Referred to Committee on Economic Development, Housing & Trade.

Extending the housing authority tax exemption to Indian housing authorities.

    AN ACT Relating to extending to Indian housing authorities the exemption from state and local tax currently applicable to other housing authorities; amending RCW 35.82.210; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Affordable and accessible housing is of great concern and importance to the legislature and the people of this state.  The legislature recognizes the important role housing authorities serve in creating and maintaining housing for low-income persons.  The legislature finds that tribal housing authorities should be afforded the same exemptions from tax as all other housing authorities and extend the exemption from state and local tax to tribal housing authorities.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 35.82.210 and 1965 c 7 s 35.82.210 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The property of an authority is declared to be public property used for essential public and governmental purposes and such property and an authority shall be exempt from all taxes and special assessments of the city, the county, the state or any political subdivision thereof:  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That in lieu of such taxes an authority may agree to make payments to the city or the county or any such political subdivision for improvements, services and facilities furnished by such city, county or political subdivision for the benefit of a housing project, but in no event shall such payments exceed the amount last levied as the annual tax of such city, county or political subdivision upon the property included in said project prior to the time of its acquisition by the authority.

(2) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Authority" includes tribal housing authorities and intertribal housing authorities.

(b) "Intertribal housing authority" means a housing authority created by a consortium of tribal governments to operate and administer housing programs for and on behalf of such tribes.

(c) "Tribal government" means the governing body of a federally recognized Indian tribe.

(d) "Tribal housing authority" means the tribal government or an agency or branch of the tribal government that operates and administers housing programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act takes effect July 1, 2000.

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