Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Local Government & Housing Committee

SB 6460

Brief Description:  Funding local government research services.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Horn.

Brief Summary of Bill

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

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

Hearing Date:  2/27/02

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 is 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, 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.