H-4683.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2552
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State of Washington 56th Legislature 2000 Regular Session
By House Committee on Finance (originally sponsored by Representatives Dunshee and Edmonds)
Read first time 02/07/2000. Referred to Committee on .
AN ACT Relating to funding public disclosure activities; adding a new chapter to Title 82 RCW; providing an effective date; and providing for submission of this act to a vote of the people.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. For the purposes of this chapter, "candidate," "contribution," "expenditure," "lobbyist," and "political committee" are each defined as provided in RCW 42.17.020.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The public disclosure account is created in the state treasury. Except for unanticipated receipts under chapter 43.79 RCW, moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for support of the public disclosure activities under chapter 42.17 RCW.
(2) At the beginning of each fiscal biennium, the state treasurer shall determine the balance in the public disclosure account. If the balance is less than the threshold amount, the state treasurer shall transfer sufficient moneys from the general fund to the public disclosure account to bring the balance up to the threshold amount. For the biennium beginning July 1, 2001, the threshold amount is four million dollars. At the beginning of each subsequent fiscal biennium, the state treasurer shall adjust the threshold amount by the biennial percentage change in the implicit price deflator for personal consumption expenditures. The state treasurer shall use published data or estimates for the implicit price deflator that the state treasurer deems are suitable for the purposes of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) A tax is imposed on each contribution reported by a candidate or political committee under RCW 42.17.080, equal to four percent of the monetary value of the contribution. The candidate or political committee shall pay the tax to the department.
(2) A contribution other than money or its equivalent is exempt from tax under this section if received from an individual who is contributing his or her own property.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Chapter 82.32 RCW applies to the taxes imposed in this chapter. The tax due dates, reporting periods, and return requirements applicable to chapter 82.04 RCW apply to the taxes imposed in this chapter. Moneys collected under this chapter shall be deposited in the public disclosure account.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 1 through 4 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 82 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act takes effect July 1, 2001.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The secretary of state shall submit this act to the people for their adoption and ratification, or rejection, at the next general election to be held in this state, in accordance with Article II, section 1 of the state Constitution and the laws adopted to facilitate its operation.
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