S-0125.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5438

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Finkbeiner, Benton, Rossi and Hochstatter

Read first time 01/22/1999.  Referred to Committee on Energy, Technology & Telecommunications.

Continuing a moratorium that prohibits a city or town from imposing a specific fee or tax on an internet service provider.

    AN ACT Relating to extending the prohibition on taxes or fees specific to internet service providers; and amending RCW 35.21.717.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 35.21.717 and 1997 c 304 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    Until July 1, ((1999)) 2002, a city or town may not impose any new taxes or fees specific to internet service providers.  A city or town may tax internet service providers under generally applicable business taxes or fees, at a rate not to exceed the rate applied to a general service classification.  For the purposes of this section, "internet service" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.297.

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