S-4904.1  _______________________________________________

 

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5857

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Goings and Horn)

 

Read first time 02/21/2000.

Providing alternative financing mechanisms for regional transit authorities.


    AN ACT Relating to alternative financing mechanisms for regional transit authorities; amending RCW 82.45.010 and 35.21.755; reenacting and amending RCW 82.04.050; adding new sections to chapter 81.112 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.08 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.29A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 84.36 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; and creating new sections.

 

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

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that additional funds or other benefits can be made available to Washington regional transit authorities by facilitating their entry into sale and leaseback, leaseout and leaseback, and similar transactions that provide to private parties, in consideration for the funds or other benefits obtained by the regional transit authorities, tax benefits that are not otherwise available to regional transit authorities.  The legislature further finds that such transactions have been encouraged by agencies of the federal government as ways to provide additional funds for public facilities.  To facilitate such transactions for regional transit authorities, the legislature has determined that while regional transit authorities may currently have the necessary statutory authority and may currently enjoy exemptions from Washington state taxes for such transactions, an explicit statement of statutory authority and exemption from Washington state taxes is necessary and helpful for the parties to such transactions.  In recognition of the complexity of such transactions, the legislature desires that the authority and exemptions provided by this act be subject to certain limitations and be granted for a period as specified in section 14 of this act.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 81.112 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) In order to enable regional transit authorities to acquire or finance equipment or facilities, or reduce the cost of equipment or facilities or to provide additional funding to regional transit authorities for any other lawful public purpose, regional transit authorities may enter into sale and leaseback, leaseout and leaseback, and other similar transactions with respect to equipment, facilities, and other real and personal property.  In connection with any such transaction, a regional transit authority may execute, as it considers appropriate, contracts, agreements, notes, security agreements, conveyances, bills of sale, deeds, leases as lessee or lessor, and currency hedges, defeasance arrangements, interest rate, currency or other swap transactions, one or more payment undertaking agreements, and agreements relating to foreign and domestic currency.  These agreements or instruments shall have terms, maturities, durations, provisions as to governing laws, grants of security interests, and other provisions that are approved by the board of the regional transit authority.

    (2) "Payment undertaking agreement" means one or more agreements, undertakings or arrangements pursuant to which all or a portion of the funds generated by a sale and leaseback, leaseout and leaseback, or other similar transaction are directed or paid over to a financial institution, insurance company or other entity which agrees to meet or fulfill, in consideration for such funds, some or all of the obligations of the regional transit authority, or any public corporation or other entity created under section 4 of this act, to make future rent, debt service, or purchase price installment payments in connection with such transaction.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 81.112 RCW to read as follows:

    Transactions undertaken under section 2 of this act shall be subject to the following conditions:

    (1) The financial institution, insurance company, or other entity which enters into a payment undertaking agreement with the regional transit authority or public development corporation or entity created pursuant to section 4 of this act as a counterparty must have a rating from at least two nationally recognized credit rating agencies, as of the date of execution of the payment undertaking agreement, that is within the two highest long-term investment grade rating categories, without regard to subcategories, or the obligations of such counterparty must be guaranteed by a financial institution, insurance company, or other entity with such credit rating.  The payment undertaking agreement shall require that the obligations of the counterparty or the guarantor, as the case may be, shall be collateralized by collateral of a type and in an amount specified by the governing body of the regional transit authority in the event that the credit ratings of the counterparty or its guarantor fall below the level required by the foregoing provisions.

    (2) The amount to be paid by the counterparties under payment undertaking agreements for a transaction pursuant to the terms of such agreements, when combined with the amount of securities, deposits, and investments set aside by the regional transit authority for payment in respect of such transactions, together with interest or other earnings on such securities, deposits, or investments, shall be sufficient to pay when due all amounts required to be paid by the regional transit authority, or public corporation or entity created pursuant to section 4 of this act, as rent, debt service, or installments of purchase price, as the case may be, over the full term of the transaction plus any optional purchase price due under the transaction.  A certification by an independent financial expert, banker, or certified public accountant, who is not an employee of the regional transit authority or public corporation or entity created pursuant to section 4 of this act, certifying compliance with this requirement constitutes conclusive evidence that such arrangements, by their terms, comply with the requirement under this subsection on the sufficiency of the amount.

    (3) The payment undertaking agreements, and all other basic and material agreements entered into in connection with such transactions, shall specify that the parties to such agreements consent to the jurisdiction of state courts of Washington for disputes arising out of such agreements and agree not to contest venue before such courts.  Regardless of the choice of law specified in the foregoing agreements, such agreements shall acknowledge that the regional transit authority or public development corporation or entity created pursuant to section 4 of this act which is a party to such agreements is an entity created under the laws of the state of Washington whose power and authority and limitations and restrictions on such power and authority are governed by the laws of the state of Washington. 

    Payment undertaking agreements that meet the foregoing requirement shall be treated for all relevant purposes as agreements pursuant to which future services are performed for a present payment and shall not be treated as payment agreements within the meaning of chapter 39.96 RCW.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 81.112 RCW to read as follows:

    To accomplish any of the activities under section 2 of this act, a regional transit authority may create a public corporation, commission, or authority under RCW 35.21.730 through 35.21.755, and authorize the corporation, commission, or authority to provide any of the facilities and services that a regional transit authority may provide including any activities under section 2 of this act.  A regional transit authority shall have all the powers, authorities, and rights granted to any city, town, or county or their agents under the provisions of RCW 35.21.730 through 35.21.755 for the purposes of entering into and implementing transactions under section 2 of this act.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 82.08 RCW to read as follows:

    The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to lease amounts paid by a seller/lessee to a lessor under a sale/leaseback agreement under section 2 of this act in respect to tangible personal property, used by the seller/lessee, or to the purchase amount paid by the lessee pursuant to an option to purchase at the end of the lease term, but only if the seller/lessee previously paid any tax otherwise due under this chapter or chapter 82.12 RCW at the time of acquisition of the tangible personal property.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 82.12 RCW to read as follows:

    The provisions of this chapter do not pay with respect to the use of tangible personal property by a seller/lessee to a lessor under a sale/leaseback agreement under section 2 of this act in respect to tangible personal property used by the seller/lessee, or to the purchase amount paid by the lessee pursuant to an option to purchase at the end of the lease term, but only if the seller/lessee previously paid any tax otherwise due under this chapter or chapter 82.08 RCW at the time of acquisition of the tangible personal property.

 

    Sec. 7.  RCW 82.04.050 and 1998 c 332 s 2, 1998 c 315 s 1, 1998 c 308 s 1, and 1998 c 275 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

    (1) "Sale at retail" or "retail sale" means every sale of tangible personal property (including articles produced, fabricated, or imprinted) to all persons irrespective of the nature of their business and including, among others, without limiting the scope hereof, persons who install, repair, clean, alter, improve, construct, or decorate real or personal property of or for consumers other than a sale to a person who presents a resale certificate under RCW 82.04.470 and who:

    (a) Purchases for the purpose of resale as tangible personal property in the regular course of business without intervening use by such person, but a purchase for the purpose of resale by a regional transit authority under section 2 of this act is not a sale for resale; or

    (b) Installs, repairs, cleans, alters, imprints, improves, constructs, or decorates real or personal property of or for consumers, if such tangible personal property becomes an ingredient or component of such real or personal property without intervening use by such person; or

    (c) Purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing for sale a new article of tangible personal property or substance, of which such property becomes an ingredient or component or is a chemical used in processing, when the primary purpose of such chemical is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of a new article being produced for sale; or

    (d) Purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing ferrosilicon which is subsequently used in producing magnesium for sale, if the primary purpose of such property is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of ferrosilicon; or

    (e) Purchases for the purpose of providing the property to consumers as part of competitive telephone service, as defined in RCW 82.04.065.  The term shall include every sale of tangible personal property which is used or consumed or to be used or consumed in the performance of any activity classified as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property is resold or utilized as provided in (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this subsection following such use.  The term also means every sale of tangible personal property to persons engaged in any business which is taxable under RCW 82.04.280 (2) and (7) and 82.04.290.

    (2) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" shall include the sale of or charge made for tangible personal property consumed and/or for labor and services rendered in respect to the following:

    (a) The installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, or improving of tangible personal property of or for consumers, including charges made for the mere use of facilities in respect thereto, but excluding charges made for the use of coin-operated laundry facilities when such facilities are situated in an apartment house, rooming house, or mobile home park for the exclusive use of the tenants thereof, and also excluding sales of laundry service to nonprofit health care facilities, and excluding services rendered in respect to live animals, birds and insects;

    (b) The constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for consumers, including the installing or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation, and shall also include the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth excepting the mere leveling of land used in commercial farming or agriculture;

    (c) The charge for labor and services rendered in respect to constructing, repairing, or improving any structure upon, above, or under any real property owned by an owner who conveys the property by title, possession, or any other means to the person performing such construction, repair, or improvement for the purpose of performing such construction, repair, or improvement and the property is then reconveyed by title, possession, or any other means to the original owner;

    (d) The sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the cleaning, fumigating, razing or moving of existing buildings or structures, but shall not include the charge made for janitorial services; and for purposes of this section the term "janitorial services" shall mean those cleaning and caretaking services ordinarily performed by commercial janitor service businesses including, but not limited to, wall and window washing, floor cleaning and waxing, and the cleaning in place of rugs, drapes and upholstery.  The term "janitorial services" does not include painting, papering, repairing, furnace or septic tank cleaning, snow removal or sandblasting;

    (e) The sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to automobile towing and similar automotive transportation services, but not in respect to those required to report and pay taxes under chapter 82.16 RCW;

    (f) The sale of and charge made for the furnishing of lodging and all other services by a hotel, rooming house, tourist court, motel, trailer camp, and the granting of any similar license to use real property, as distinguished from the renting or leasing of real property, and it shall be presumed that the occupancy of real property for a continuous period of one month or more constitutes a rental or lease of real property and not a mere license to use or enjoy the same;

    (g) The sale of or charge made for tangible personal property, labor and services to persons taxable under (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this subsection when such sales or charges are for property, labor and services which are used or consumed in whole or in part by such persons in the performance of any activity defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property, labor and services may be resold after such use or consumption.  Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed to modify subsection (1) of this section and nothing contained in subsection (1) of this section shall be construed to modify this subsection.

    (3) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" shall include the sale of or charge made for personal, business, or professional services including amounts designated as interest, rents, fees, admission, and other service emoluments however designated, received by persons engaging in the following business activities:

    (a) Amusement and recreation services including but not limited to golf, pool, billiards, skating, bowling, ski lifts and tows, day trips for sightseeing purposes, and others, when provided to consumers;

    (b) Abstract, title insurance, and escrow services;

    (c) Credit bureau services;

    (d) Automobile parking and storage garage services;

    (e) Landscape maintenance and horticultural services but excluding (i) horticultural services provided to farmers and (ii) pruning, trimming, repairing, removing, and clearing of trees and brush near electric transmission or distribution lines or equipment, if performed by or at the direction of an electric utility;

    (f) Service charges associated with tickets to professional sporting events; and

    (g) The following personal services:  Physical fitness services, tanning salon services, tattoo parlor services, steam bath services, turkish bath services, escort services, and dating services.

    (4) The term shall also include the renting or leasing of tangible personal property to consumers and the rental of equipment with an operator.

    (5) The term shall also include the providing of telephone service, as defined in RCW 82.04.065, to consumers.

    (6) The term shall also include the sale of canned software other than a sale to a person who presents a resale certificate under RCW 82.04.470, regardless of the method of delivery to the end user, but shall not include custom software or the customization of canned software.

    (7) The term shall not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the building, repairing, or improving of any street, place, road, highway, easement, right of way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or by the United States and which is used or to be used primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind.

    (8) The term shall also not include sales of chemical sprays or washes to persons for the purpose of postharvest treatment of fruit for the prevention of scald, fungus, mold, or decay, nor shall it include sales of feed, seed, seedlings, fertilizer, agents for enhanced pollination including insects such as bees, and spray materials to:  (a) Persons who participate in the federal conservation reserve program, the environmental quality incentives program, the wetlands reserve program, and the wildlife habitat incentives program, or their successors administered by the United States department of agriculture; (b) farmers for the purpose of producing for sale any agricultural product; and (c) farmers acting under cooperative habitat development or access contracts with an organization exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) or the Washington state department of fish and wildlife to produce or improve wildlife habitat on land that the farmer owns or leases.

    (9) The term shall not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter 35.82 RCW, including the installing, or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation.  Nor shall the term include the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority.  Nor shall the term include the sale of services or charges made for cleaning up for the United States, or its instrumentalities, radioactive waste and other byproducts of weapons production and nuclear research and development.

    (10) Until July 1, 2003, the term shall not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered for environmental remedial action as defined in RCW 82.04.2635(2).

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8.  A new section is added to chapter 82.04 RCW to read as follows:

    This chapter does not apply to amounts received as lease payments paid by a seller/lessee to a lessor under a sale/leaseback agreement under section 2 of this act in respect to tangible personal property used by the seller/lessee, or to the purchase amount paid by the lessee pursuant to an option to purchase at the end of the lease term.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9.  A new section is added to chapter 82.29A RCW to read as follows:

    All leasehold interests in property of a regional transit authority or public corporation under section 4 of this act pursuant to an agreement under section 2 of this act are exempt from tax under this chapter.

 

    Sec. 10.  RCW 82.45.010 and 1999 c 209 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) As used in this chapter, the term "sale" shall have its ordinary meaning and shall include any conveyance, grant, assignment, quitclaim, or transfer of the ownership of or title to real property, including standing timber, or any estate or interest therein for a valuable consideration, and any contract for such conveyance, grant, assignment, quitclaim, or transfer, and any lease with an option to purchase real property, including standing timber, or any estate or interest therein or other contract under which possession of the property is given to the purchaser, or any other person at the purchaser's direction, and title to the property is retained by the vendor as security for the payment of the purchase price.  The term also includes the grant, assignment, quitclaim, sale, or transfer of improvements constructed upon leased land.

    (2) The term "sale" also includes the transfer or acquisition within any twelve-month period of a controlling interest in any entity with an interest in real property located in this state for a valuable consideration.  For purposes of this subsection, all acquisitions of persons acting in concert shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether a transfer or acquisition of a controlling interest has taken place.  The department of revenue shall adopt standards by rule to determine when persons are acting in concert.  In adopting a rule for this purpose, the department shall consider the following:

    (a) Persons shall be treated as acting in concert when they have a relationship with each other such that one person influences or controls the actions of another through common ownership; and

    (b) When persons are not commonly owned or controlled, they shall be treated as acting in concert only when the unity with which the purchasers have negotiated and will consummate the transfer of ownership interests supports a finding that they are acting as a single entity.  If the acquisitions are completely independent, with each purchaser buying without regard to the identity of the other purchasers, then the acquisitions shall be considered separate acquisitions.

    (3) The term "sale" shall not include:

    (a) A transfer by gift, devise, or inheritance.

    (b) A transfer of any leasehold interest other than of the type mentioned above.

    (c) A cancellation or forfeiture of a vendee's interest in a contract for the sale of real property, whether or not such contract contains a forfeiture clause, or deed in lieu of foreclosure of a mortgage.

    (d) The partition of property by tenants in common by agreement or as the result of a court decree.

    (e) The assignment of property or interest in property from one spouse to the other in accordance with the terms of a decree of divorce or in fulfillment of a property settlement agreement.

    (f) The assignment or other transfer of a vendor's interest in a contract for the sale of real property, even though accompanied by a conveyance of the vendor's interest in the real property involved.

    (g) Transfers by appropriation or decree in condemnation proceedings brought by the United States, the state or any political subdivision thereof, or a municipal corporation.

    (h) A mortgage or other transfer of an interest in real property merely to secure a debt, or the assignment thereof.

    (i) Any transfer or conveyance made pursuant to a deed of trust or an order of sale by the court in any mortgage, deed of trust, or lien foreclosure proceeding or upon execution of a judgment, or deed in lieu of foreclosure to satisfy a mortgage or deed of trust.

    (j) A conveyance to the federal housing administration or veterans administration by an authorized mortgagee made pursuant to a contract of insurance or guaranty with the federal housing administration or veterans administration.

    (k) A transfer in compliance with the terms of any lease or contract upon which the tax as imposed by this chapter has been paid or where the lease or contract was entered into prior to the date this tax was first imposed.

    (l) The sale of any grave or lot in an established cemetery.

    (m) A sale by the United States, this state or any political subdivision thereof, or a municipal corporation of this state.

    (n) A sale to a regional transit authority or public corporation under section 4 of this act pursuant to a sale/leaseback agreement under section 2 of this act.

    (o) A transfer of real property, however effected, if it consists of a mere change in identity or form of ownership of an entity where there is no change in the beneficial ownership.  These include transfers to a corporation or partnership which is wholly owned by the transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children:  PROVIDED, That if thereafter such transferee corporation or partnership voluntarily transfers such real property, or such transferor, spouse, or children voluntarily transfer stock in the transferee corporation or interest in the transferee partnership capital, as the case may be, to other than (1) the transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children, (2) a trust having the transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children as the only beneficiaries at the time of the transfer to the trust, or (3) a corporation or partnership wholly owned by the original transferor and/or the transferor's spouse or children, within three years of the original transfer to which this exemption applies, and the tax on the subsequent transfer has not been paid within sixty days of becoming due, excise taxes shall become due and payable on the original transfer as otherwise provided by law.

    (((o))) (p)(i) A transfer that for federal income tax purposes does not involve the recognition of gain or loss for entity formation, liquidation or dissolution, and reorganization, including but not limited to nonrecognition of gain or loss because of application of section 332, 337, 351, 368(a)(1), 721, or 731 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

    (ii) However, the transfer described in (((o))) (p)(i) of this subsection cannot be preceded or followed within a twelve-month period by another transfer or series of transfers, that, when combined with the otherwise exempt transfer or transfers described in (((o))) (p)(i) of this subsection, results in the transfer of a controlling interest in the entity for valuable consideration, and in which one or more persons previously holding a controlling interest in the entity receive cash or property in exchange for any interest the person or persons acting in concert hold in the entity.  This subsection (3)(((o))) (p)(ii) does not apply to that part of the transfer involving property received that is the real property interest that the person or persons originally contributed to the entity or when one or more persons who did not contribute real property or belong to the entity at a time when real property was purchased receive cash or personal property in exchange for that person or persons' interest in the entity.  The real estate excise tax under this subsection (3)(((o))) (p)(ii) is imposed upon the person or persons who previously held a controlling interest in the entity.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11.  A new section is added to chapter 84.36 RCW to read as follows:

    All real and personal property subject to a sale/leaseback agreement under section 2 of this act is exempt from taxation.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 12.  A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:

    A city or town may not impose taxes on amounts received as lease payments paid by a seller/lessee to a lessor under a sale/leaseback agreement under section 2 of this act in respect to tangible personal property used by the seller/lessee, or to the purchase amount paid by the lessee pursuant to an option to purchase at the end of the lease term.

 

    Sec. 13.  RCW 35.21.755 and 1999 c 266 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) A public corporation, commission, or authority created pursuant to RCW 35.21.730 ((or)), 35.21.660, or section 4 of this act shall receive the same immunity or exemption from taxation as that of the city, town, or county creating the same:  PROVIDED, That, except for (a) any property within a special review district established by ordinance prior to January 1, 1976, or listed on or which is within a district listed on any federal or state register of historical sites or (b) any property owned, operated, or controlled by a public corporation that is used primarily for low-income housing, or that is used as a convention center, performing arts center, public assembly hall, public meeting place, public esplanade, street, public way, public open space, park, public utility corridor, or view corridor for the general public or (c) any blighted property owned, operated, or controlled by a public corporation that was acquired for the purpose of remediation and redevelopment of the property in accordance with an agreement or plan approved by the city, town, or county in which the property is located, or (d) any property owned, operated, or controlled by a public corporation created under section 4 of this act, any such public corporation, commission, or authority shall pay to the county treasurer an annual excise tax equal to the amounts which would be paid upon real property and personal property devoted to the purposes of such public corporation, commission, or authority were it in private ownership, and such real property and personal property is acquired and/or operated under RCW 35.21.730 through 35.21.755, and the proceeds of such excise tax shall be allocated by the county treasurer to the various taxing authorities in which such property is situated, in the same manner as though the property were in private ownership:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That the provisions of chapter 82.29A RCW shall not apply to property within a special review district established by ordinance prior to January 1, 1976, or listed on or which is within a district listed on any federal or state register of historical sites and which is controlled by a public corporation, commission, or authority created pursuant to RCW 35.21.730 or 35.21.660, which was in existence prior to January 1, 1987:  AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That property within a special review district established by ordinance prior to January 1, 1976, or property which is listed on any federal or state register of historical sites and controlled by a public corporation, commission, or authority created pursuant to RCW 35.21.730 or 35.21.660, which was in existence prior to January 1, 1976, shall receive the same immunity or exemption from taxation as if such property had been within a district listed on any such federal or state register of historical sites as of January 1, 1976, and controlled by a public corporation, commission, or authority created pursuant to RCW 35.21.730 or 35.21.660 which was in existence prior to January 1, 1976.

    (2) As used in this section:

    (a) "Low-income" means a total annual income, adjusted for family size, not exceeding fifty percent of the area median income.

    (b) "Area median income" means:

    (i) For an area within a standard metropolitan statistical area, the area median income reported by the United States department of housing and urban development for that standard metropolitan statistical area; or

    (ii) For an area not within a standard metropolitan statistical area, the county median income reported by the department of community, trade, and economic development.

    (c) "Blighted property" means property that is contaminated with hazardous substances as defined under RCW 70.105D.020(7).

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 14.  A new section is added to chapter 81.112 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, no regional transit authority may initiate a transaction authorized under section 2 of this act after June 30, 2007.

    (2) The termination of authority to enter into transactions after June 30, 2007, shall not affect the validity of any transactions entered into under section 2 of this act.

    (3) A regional transit authority may enter into a transaction in accordance with section 2 of this act after June 30, 2007, to replace or refinance a transaction that relates to specific obligations entered into on or before that date and that has terminated, or is, pursuant to the terms of the replacement or refinance, to terminate, before the final stated term of that transaction.  The exemptions from taxes provided by sections 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12 of this act and RCW 82.04.050, 82.45.010, and 35.21.755 shall apply to the replacement or refinance transactions.

    (4) Any regional transit authority, or public corporation or entity created pursuant to section 4 of this act, which undertakes a transaction authorized by section 2 of this act, shall provide to the state finance committee, or its financial advisor, at the state finance committee's discretion, a copy of all material agreements executed in connection with the transaction within three months of the closing of the transaction and shall make a report to the state finance committee, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives on transactions authorized by section 2 of this act.  The report shall include the amount of the transactions, the expected savings or losses resulting from the transactions, the transaction costs, including fees and detailed pricing information, the risks associated with the transaction, and any other information the regional transit authority determines relevant.  The report shall be submitted within six months of the closing of each transaction.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 15.  The authority granted by this act shall be in addition and supplemental to any authority previously granted and shall not limit or be limited by any other powers or authority previously granted to regional transit authorities or any public corporation, or restrictions on such powers or authority.  Nothing in this act shall be construed as limiting other statutory authority previously granted to regional transit authorities or public corporations or other tax exemptions granted to regional transit authorities or public corporations. Nothing in this act shall be construed as limiting the authority of the state, any political subdivision thereof, or any other public or municipal corporation to undertake the activities described herein as expressly or impliedly authorized by other provisions of law.  Nothing in this act shall be construed as an authorization to provide indemnification to the extent such indemnification is prohibited or restricted by other provisions of law or the Constitution of the state of Washington.

 


                            --- END ---