HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6460

As Passed House:

March 5, 2002

Title:  An act relating to funding local government research services.

Brief Description:  Funding local government research services.

Sponsors:  By Senators Haugen and Horn.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Local Government & Housing:  2/27/02 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/5/02, 97-0.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Distributes all unobligated funds from the county research services account at the end of a biennium back to counties.

$Distributes the quarterly allotment to the county, city and town research services accounts regardless of existing cash balances.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT & HOUSING

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Dunshee, Chair; Edwards, Vice Chair; Mulliken, Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Crouse, DeBolt, Dunn, Hatfield, Kirby, Mielke and Sullivan.

Staff:  Scott MacColl (786‑7106).

Background:

The State Treasurer distributes funds from the liquor excise tax and the liquor revolving fund every three months by formula to counties, cities, and towns.  A portion of those funds are distributed to city and county research services accounts and are combined with any existing cash balance to fund each quarter's allotment for county and city research services.

Any existing funds in the city research account at the end of a biennium is distributed back to cities and towns in the same manner as funds from the liquor revolving fund.

Summary of Bill:

The State Treasurer is required to distribute the full quarterly allotment from the liquor excise tax and the liquor revolving fund to the county and city research services account regardless of any existing cash balance in the account.

Any remaining funds in the County Research Services Account at the end of a biennium is required to be distributed back to counties in the same manner as the liquor excise tax.

The dates for distribution of the liquor revolving fund to the city research services account are changed to March, June, September, and December (from January, April, July, and October).

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This is a technical accounting fix that allows the Municipal Research and Services Center to receive its full quarterly allotment.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Wendy Weeks, State Treasurers Office; and Patrick Mason, Municipal Research Center.