BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to taxation of natural or manufactured gas used for growing agricultural crops, poultry, or livestock; and amending RCW 82.12.022 and 82.16.010.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 82.12.022 and 1994 c 124 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There is hereby levied and there shall be collected from every person in this state a use tax for the privilege of using natural gas or manufactured gas within this state as a consumer.

(2) The tax shall be levied and collected in an amount equal to the value of the article used by the taxpayer multiplied by the rate in effect for the public utility tax on gas distribution businesses under RCW 82.16.020. The "value of the article used" does not include any amounts that are paid for the hire or use of a gas distribution business as defined in RCW 82.16.010(7) in transporting the gas subject to tax under this subsection if those amounts are subject to tax under that chapter.

(3) The tax levied in this section shall not apply to the use of natural or manufactured gas delivered to the consumer by other means than: (a) Through a pipeline; or (b) by truck to a farm for growing agricultural crops, poultry, or livestock.

(4) The tax levied in this section shall not apply to the use of natural or manufactured gas if the person who sold the gas to the consumer has paid a tax under RCW 82.16.020 with respect to the gas for which exemption is sought under this subsection.

(5) There shall be a credit against the tax levied under this section in an amount equal to any tax paid by:

(a) The person who sold the gas to the consumer when that tax is a gross receipts tax similar to that imposed pursuant to RCW 82.16.020 by another state with respect to the gas for which a credit is sought under this subsection; or

(b) The person consuming the gas upon which a use tax similar to the tax imposed by this section was paid to another state with respect to the gas for which a credit is sought under this subsection.

(6) The use tax hereby imposed shall be paid by the consumer to the department.

(7) There is imposed a reporting requirement on the person who delivered the gas to the consumer to make a quarterly report to the department. Such report shall contain the volume of gas delivered, name of the consumer to whom delivered, and such other information as the department shall require by rule.

(8) The department may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW for the administration and enforcement of sections 1 through 6, chapter 384, Laws of 1989.

Sec. 2. RCW 82.16.010 and 1996 c 150 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise required by the context:

(1) "Railroad business" means the business of operating any railroad, by whatever power operated, for public use in the conveyance of persons or property for hire. It shall not, however, include any business herein defined as an urban transportation business.

(2) "Express business" means the business of carrying property for public hire on the line of any common carrier operated in this state, when such common carrier is not owned or leased by the person engaging in such business.

(3) "Railroad car business" means the business of operating stock cars, furniture cars, refrigerator cars, fruit cars, poultry cars, tank cars, sleeping cars, parlor cars, buffet cars, tourist cars, or any other kinds of cars used for transportation of property or persons upon the line of any railroad operated in this state when such railroad is not owned or leased by the person engaging in such business.

(4) "Water distribution business" means the business of operating a plant or system for the distribution of water for hire or sale.

(5) "Light and power business" means the business of operating a plant or system for the generation, production or distribution of electrical energy for hire or sale and/or for the wheeling of electricity for others.

(6) "Telegraph business" means the business of affording telegraphic communication for hire.

(7) "Gas distribution business" means the business of operating a plant or system for the production or distribution for hire or sale of gas through a pipeline to consumers or by truck to farms for growing agricultural crops, poultry, or livestock, whether manufactured or natural.

(8) "Motor transportation business" means the business (except urban transportation business) of operating any motor propelled vehicle by which persons or property of others are conveyed for hire, and includes, but is not limited to, the operation of any motor propelled vehicle as an auto transportation company (except urban transportation business), common carrier or contract carrier as defined by RCW 81.68.010 and 81.80.010: PROVIDED, That "motor transportation business" shall not mean or include the transportation of logs or other forest products exclusively upon private roads or private highways.

(9) "Urban transportation business" means the business of operating any vehicle for public use in the conveyance of persons or property for hire, insofar as (a) operating entirely within the corporate limits of any city or town, or within five miles of the corporate limits thereof, or (b) operating entirely within and between cities and towns whose corporate limits are not more than five miles apart or within five miles of the corporate limits of either thereof. Included herein, but without limiting the scope hereof, is the business of operating passenger vehicles of every type and also the business of operating cartage, pickup, or delivery services, including in such services the collection and distribution of property arriving from or destined to a point within or without the state, whether or not such collection or distribution be made by the person performing a local or interstate line-haul of such property.

(10) "Public service business" means any of the businesses defined in subdivisions (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9) or any business subject to control by the state, or having the powers of eminent domain and the duties incident thereto, or any business hereafter declared by the legislature to be of a public service nature, except telephone business as defined in RCW 82.04.065 and low-level radioactive waste site operating companies as redefined in RCW 81.04.010. It includes, among others, without limiting the scope hereof: Airplane transportation, boom, dock, ferry, pipe line, toll bridge, toll logging road, water transportation and wharf businesses.

(11) "Tugboat business" means the business of operating tugboats, towboats, wharf boats or similar vessels in the towing or pushing of vessels, barges or rafts for hire.

(12) "Gross income" means the value proceeding or accruing from the performance of the particular public service or transportation business involved, including operations incidental thereto, but without any deduction on account of the cost of the commodity furnished or sold, the cost of materials used, labor costs, interest, discount, delivery costs, taxes, or any other expense whatsoever paid or accrued and without any deduction on account of losses.

(13) The meaning attributed, in chapter 82.04 RCW, to the term "tax year," "person," "value proceeding or accruing," "business," "engaging in business," "in this state," "within this state," "cash discount" and "successor" shall apply equally in the provisions of this chapter.