[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to a state wireless enhanced 911 excise tax; amending RCW 38.52.010, 38.52.530, 38.52.540, 38.52.550, 82.14B.020, 82.14B.030, 82.14B.040, 82.14B.042, 82.14B.061, and 82.14B.200; adding new sections to chapter 38.52 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 38.52.560; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that statewide enhanced 911 has proven to be a lifesaving service and that routing a 911 call to the appropriate public safety answering point with a display of the caller's identification and location should be available for all users of telecommunications services, regardless of the technology used to make and transmit the 911 call. The legislature also finds that it is in the best public interest to ensure that there is adequate ongoing funding to support enhanced 911 service.

Sec. 2. RCW 38.52.010 and 1997 c 49 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Emergency management" or "comprehensive emergency management" means the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, other than functions for which the military forces are primarily responsible, to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters, and to aid victims suffering from injury or damage, resulting from disasters caused by all hazards, whether natural, technological, or human caused, and to provide support for search and rescue operations for persons and property in distress. However, "emergency management" or "comprehensive emergency management" does not mean preparation for emergency evacuation or relocation of residents in anticipation of nuclear attack.

(2) "Local organization for emergency services or management" means an organization created in accordance with the provisions of this chapter by state or local authority to perform local emergency management functions.

(3) "Political subdivision" means any county, city or town.

(4) "Emergency worker" means any person, including but not limited to an architect registered under chapter 18.08 RCW or a professional engineer registered under chapter 18.43 RCW, who is registered with a local emergency management organization or the department and holds an identification card issued by the local emergency management director or the department for the purpose of engaging in authorized emergency management activities or is an employee of the state of Washington or any political subdivision thereof who is called upon to perform emergency management activities.

(5) "Injury" as used in this chapter shall mean and include accidental injuries and/or occupational diseases arising out of emergency management activities.

(6)(a) "Emergency or disaster" as used in all sections of this chapter except RCW 38.52.430 shall mean an event or set of circumstances which: (I) Demands immediate action to preserve public health, protect life, protect public property, or to provide relief to any stricken community overtaken by such occurrences, or (ii) reaches such a dimension or degree of destructiveness as to warrant the governor declaring a state of emergency pursuant to RCW 43.06.010.

(b) "Emergency" as used in RCW 38.52.430 means an incident that requires a normal police, coroner, fire, rescue, emergency medical services, or utility response as a result of a violation of one of the statutes enumerated in RCW 38.52.430.

(7) "Search and rescue" means the acts of searching for, rescuing, or recovering by means of ground, marine, or air activity any person who becomes lost, injured, or is killed while outdoors or as a result of a natural, technological, or human caused disaster, including instances involving searches for downed aircraft when ground personnel are used. Nothing in this section shall affect appropriate activity by the department of transportation under chapter 47.68 RCW.

(8) "Executive head" and "executive heads" means the county executive in those charter counties with an elective office of county executive, however designated, and, in the case of other counties, the county legislative authority. In the case of cities and towns, it means the mayor in those cities and towns with mayor-council or commission forms of government, where the mayor is directly elected, and it means the city manager in those cities and towns with council manager forms of government. Cities and towns may also designate an executive head for the purposes of this chapter by ordinance.

(9) "Director" means the adjutant general.

(10) "Local director" means the director of a local organization of emergency management or emergency services.

(11) "Department" means the state military department.

(12) "Emergency response" as used in RCW 38.52.430 means a public agency's use of emergency services during an emergency or disaster as defined in subsection (6)(b) of this section.

(13) "Expense of an emergency response" as used in RCW 38.52.430 means reasonable costs incurred by a public agency in reasonably making an appropriate emergency response to the incident, but shall only include those costs directly arising from the response to the particular incident. Reasonable costs shall include the costs of providing police, coroner, fire fighting, rescue, emergency medical services, or utility response at the scene of the incident, as well as the salaries of the personnel responding to the incident.

(14) "Public agency" means the state, and a city, county, municipal corporation, district, town, or public authority located, in whole or in part, within this state which provides or may provide fire fighting, police, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services.

(15) "Incident command system" means: (a) An all-hazards, on-scene functional management system that establishes common standards in organization, terminology, and procedures; provides a means (unified command) for the establishment of a common set of incident objectives and strategies during multiagency/multijurisdiction operations while maintaining individual agency/jurisdiction authority, responsibility, and accountability; and is a component of the national interagency incident management system; or (b) an equivalent and compatible all-hazards, on-scene functional management system.

(16) "Radio communications service company" has the meaning ascribed to it in RCW 82.14B.020.

(17) "Phase I E911 service" has the meaning as defined pursuant to 47 C.F.R. Sec. 20.18(d).

Sec. 3. RCW 38.52.530 and 2000 c 34 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The enhanced 911 advisory committee is created to advise and assist the state enhanced 911 coordinator in coordinating and facilitating the implementation and operation of enhanced 911 throughout the state. The director shall appoint members of the committee who represent diverse geographical areas of the state and include state residents who are members of the national emergency number association, the associated public communications officers Washington chapter, the Washington state fire chiefs association, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, the Washington state council of fire fighters, the Washington state council of police officers, the Washington ambulance association, the state fire protection policy board, the Washington fire commissioners association, the Washington state patrol, the association of Washington cities, the Washington state association of counties, the utilities and transportation commission or commission staff, and an equal number of representatives of large and small local exchange telephone companies and large and small radio communications service companies offering commercial mobile radio service in the state. This section expires December 31, 2006.

Sec. 4. RCW 38.52.540 and 1998 c 304 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:

The enhanced 911 account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the state enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(3) shall be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account shall be used only to help ((~~implement and~~)) operate enhanced 911 statewide. ((Moneys in the account may be used to provide salary assistance on a temporary basis not to exceed three years to counties with a population of less than seventy-five thousand that need additional resources to cover unfunded costs that can be shown to result from handling 911 calls. Moneys in the account may be used to assist multicounty regions, including ongoing salary assistance for multicounty regions consisting of counties with populations of less than seventy-five thousand. However,)) Funds shall not be distributed to any county that has not imposed the maximum county enhanced 911 taxes allowed under RCW 82.14B.030 (1) and (2). The state enhanced 911 coordinator, with the advice and assistance of the enhanced 911 advisory committee, shall specify by rule the purposes for which moneys may be expended from this account.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The wireless enhanced 911 account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the state enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(4) shall be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account shall be used only for the implementation and operation of wireless enhanced 911 statewide, including the full reimbursement of radio communications service companies for recurring and nonrecurring costs incurred in providing wireless enhanced 911 phase I service, up to the total amount of funds generated by the excise taxes imposed by RCW 82.14B.030 (2) and (4). All costs and expenses must be commercially reasonable.

(2) Twenty-five cents of the forty-five cent excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(4) must be distributed to the county within which the place of primary use is located for implementation and operational costs of wireless enhanced 911 within thirty days after the revenue is deposited in the wireless enhanced 911 account. The first priority for use of the funds from this account shall be reimbursement to radio communications service companies for nonrecurring and recurring costs incurred in providing wireless enhanced 911 service.

(3) Twenty cents of the forty-five cent excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(4) must remain in the wireless enhanced 911 account to be used to assist counties with the implementation and operational costs of wireless enhanced 911 service when the twenty-five cents specified in subsection (2) of this section and the twenty-five cent excise tax imposed in RCW 82.14B.030(2) are not sufficient to cover the costs of this service. The first priority for use of the funds from this account shall be reimbursement to radio communications service companies for nonrecurring and recurring costs incurred in providing wireless enhanced 911 service.

(4) Funds generated by the state enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(3) may not be distributed to any county that has not imposed the maximum county enhanced 911 tax allowed under RCW 82.14B.030(1).

(5) Funds generated by the state enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(4) may not be distributed to any county that has not imposed the maximum county enhanced 911 tax allowed under RCW 82.14B.030(2).

(6) Funds generated by the state enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(4) may not be distributed to any county that has not made a valid request for Phase I E911 service to all radio communications service companies who provide service within their county.

(7) The state enhanced 911 coordinator, with the advice and assistance of the enhanced 911 advisory committee, shall specify by rule, not inconsistent with the intent of this section, the purposes for which moneys may be expended from this account. The rules shall specify a mechanism for radio communications service company full reimbursement, including a centralized mechanism for the approval of radio communications service company cost recovery plans, invoices, and payment to radio communications service companies.

Sec. 6. RCW 38.52.550 and 1991 c 329 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

A telecommunications company providing emergency communications systems or services or a business or individual providing data base information to emergency communication system personnel shall not be liable for civil damages caused by an act or omission of the company, business, or individual in the:

(1) Good faith release of information not in the public record, including unpublished or unlisted subscriber information to emergency service providers responding to calls placed to a 911 or enhanced 911 emergency service; or

(2) Design, development, installation, maintenance, or provision of consolidated 911 or enhanced 911 emergency communication systems or services other than an act or omission constituting gross negligence or wanton or willful misconduct. Immunity from civil liability for radio communications service companies shall be to the same extent as that found in the federal wireless communications and public safety act of 1999, P.L. 106-81.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 RCW to read as follows:

In specifying rules defining the purposes for which moneys may be expended, the state enhanced 911 coordinator is authorized to enter into statewide agreements to improve the efficiency of 911 services for all counties and shall consider base needs of individual counties for specific assistance. Priorities for enhanced 911 funding are first to assure that 911 dialing is operational statewide, second to assist as necessary to assure that counties can achieve a basic service level for 911 operations, and third to assist counties as practicable to acquire items of a capital nature appropriate to increasing 911 effectiveness.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 RCW to read as follows:

The state enhanced 911 coordinator, with the advice and assistance of the enhanced 911 advisory committee, shall set nondiscriminatory, uniform technical and operational standards consistent with the rules of the federal communications commission for the transmission of 911 calls from radio communications service companies to enhanced 911 emergency communications systems. These standards must not exceed the requirements set by the federal communications commission. The authority given to the state enhanced 911 coordinator in this section is limited to setting standards as set forth in this section and does not constitute authority to regulate radio communications service companies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 RCW to read as follows:

The enhanced 911 advisory committee and the state enhanced 911 coordinator shall recommend to the legislature on or before December 31, 2005, any revisions to the rate of the state enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by RCW 82.14B.030(4) necessary for the continuation of wireless enhanced 911 service.

Sec. 10. RCW 82.14B.020 and 1998 c 304 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Emergency services communication system" means a multicounty, countywide, or districtwide radio or landline communications network, including an enhanced 911 telephone system, which provides rapid public access for coordinated dispatching of services, personnel, equipment, and facilities for police, fire, medical, or other emergency services.

(2) "Enhanced 911 telephone system" means a public telephone system consisting of a network, data base, and on-premises equipment that is accessed by dialing 911 and that enables reporting police, fire, medical, or other emergency situations to a public safety answering point. The system includes the capability to selectively route incoming 911 calls to the appropriate public safety answering point that operates in a defined 911 service area and the capability to automatically display the name, address, and telephone number of incoming 911 calls at the appropriate public safety answering point.

(3) "Switched access line" means the telephone service line which connects a subscriber's main telephone(s) or equivalent main telephone(s) to the local exchange company's switching office.

(4) "Local exchange company" has the meaning ascribed to it in RCW 80.04.010.

(5) "Radio access line" means the telephone number assigned to or used by a subscriber for two-way local wireless voice service available to the public for hire from a radio communications service company. Radio access lines include, but are not limited to, radio-telephone communications lines used in cellular telephone service, personal communications services, and network radio access lines, or their functional and competitive equivalent. Radio access lines do not include lines that provide access to one-way signaling service, such as paging service, or to communications channels suitable only for data transmission, or to nonlocal radio access line service, such as wireless roaming service, or to a private telecommunications system.

(6) "Radio communications service company" has the meaning ascribed to it in RCW 80.04.010, except that it does not include radio paging providers. It does include those persons or entities that provide commercial mobile radio services, as defined by 47 U.S.C. Sec. 332(d)(1), and both facilities-based and nonfacilities-based resellers.

(7) "Private telecommunications system" has the meaning ascribed to it in RCW 80.04.010.

(8) "Subscriber" means the retail purchaser of telephone service as telephone service is defined in RCW 82.04.065(3).

(9) "Place of primary use" has the meaning ascribed to it in the federal mobile telecommunications sourcing act, P.L. 106-252.

Sec. 11. RCW 82.14B.030 and 1998 c 304 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislative authority of a county may impose a county enhanced 911 excise tax on the use of switched access lines in an amount not exceeding fifty cents per month for each switched access line. The amount of tax shall be uniform for each switched access line. Each county shall provide notice of such tax to all local exchange companies serving in the county at least sixty days in advance of the date on which the first payment is due.

(2) The legislative authority of a county may also impose a county 911 excise tax on the use of radio access lines whose place of primary use is located within the county in an amount not exceeding twenty-five cents per month for each radio access line. The amount of tax shall be uniform for each radio access line. The county shall provide notice of such tax to all radio communications service companies serving in the county at least sixty days in advance of the date on which the first payment is due. Any county imposing this tax shall include in its ordinance a refund mechanism whereby the amount of any tax ordered to be refunded by the judgment of a court of record, or as a result of the resolution of any appeal therefrom, shall be refunded to the radio communications service company or local exchange company that collected the tax, and those companies shall reimburse the subscribers who paid the tax. The ordinance shall further provide that to the extent the subscribers who paid the tax cannot be identified or located, the tax paid by those subscribers shall be returned to the county.

(3) A state enhanced 911 excise tax is imposed on all switched access lines in the state. The amount of tax shall not exceed twenty cents per month for each switched access line. The tax shall be uniform for each switched access line. The tax imposed under this subsection shall be remitted to the department of revenue by local exchange companies on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds shall be deposited by the treasurer in the enhanced 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540.

(4) A state enhanced 911 excise tax is imposed on all radio access lines whose place of primary use is located within the state in an amount of forty-five cents per month for each radio access line. The tax must be uniform for each radio access line. The tax imposed under this section must be remitted to the department of revenue by radio communications service companies, including those companies that resell radio access lines, on a tax return provided by the department that must include designation of the county within which the place of primary use is located. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer in the wireless enhanced 911 account created in RCW 38.52.540. The tax imposed under this section is not subject to the state sales and use tax or any local tax.

(5) By August 31st of each year the state enhanced 911 coordinator shall recommend the level for the next year of the state enhanced 911 excise tax imposed by subsection (3) of this section, based on a systematic cost and revenue analysis, to the utilities and transportation commission. The commission shall by the following October 31st determine the level of the state enhanced 911 excise tax for the following year.

Sec. 12. RCW 82.14B.040 and 1998 c 304 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

The state enhanced 911 tax and the county enhanced 911 tax on switched access lines shall be collected from the subscriber by the local exchange company providing the switched access line. The state enhanced 911 tax and the county 911 tax on radio access lines shall be collected from the subscriber by the radio communications service company providing the radio access line to the subscriber. The amount of the tax shall be stated separately on the billing statement which is sent to the subscriber.

Sec. 13. RCW 82.14B.042 and 2000 c 106 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes imposed by this chapter must be paid by the subscriber to the local exchange company providing the switched access line or the radio communications service company providing the radio access line, and each local exchange company and each radio communications service company shall collect from the subscriber the full amount of the ((~~tax~~)) taxes payable. The state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes required by this chapter to be collected by the local exchange company ((is)) or the radio communications service company are deemed to be held in trust by the local exchange company or the radio communications service company until paid to the department. Any local exchange company or radio communications service company that appropriates or converts the tax collected to its own use or to any use other than the payment of the tax to the extent that the money collected is not available for payment on the due date as prescribed in this chapter is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

(2) If any local exchange company or radio communications service company fails to collect the state enhanced 911 excise tax or, after collecting the tax, fails to pay it to the department in the manner prescribed by this chapter, whether such failure is the result of its own act or the result of acts or conditions beyond its control, the local exchange company or the radio communications service company is personally liable to the state for the amount of the tax, unless the local exchange company or the radio communications service company has taken from the buyer in good faith a properly executed resale certificate under RCW 82.14B.200.

(3) The amount of tax, until paid by the subscriber to the local exchange company, the radio communications service company, or to the department, constitutes a debt from the subscriber to the local exchange company or the radio communications service company. Any local exchange company or radio communications service company that fails or refuses to collect the tax as required with intent to violate the provisions of this chapter or to gain some advantage or benefit, either direct or indirect, and any subscriber who refuses to pay any tax due under this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. The state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes required by this chapter to be collected by the local exchange company or the radio communications service company must be stated separately on the billing statement that is sent to the subscriber.

(4) If a subscriber has failed to pay to the local exchange company or the radio communications service company the state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes imposed by this chapter and the local exchange company or the radio communications service company has not paid the amount of the tax to the department, the department may, in its discretion, proceed directly against the subscriber for collection of the tax, in which case a penalty of ten percent may be added to the amount of the tax for failure of the subscriber to pay the tax to the local exchange company or the radio communications service company, regardless of when the tax is collected by the department. Tax under this chapter is due as provided under RCW 82.14B.061.

Sec. 14. RCW 82.14B.061 and 2000 c 106 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department of revenue shall administer and shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to enforce and administer the state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes imposed by this chapter. Chapter 82.32 RCW, with the exception of RCW 82.32.045, 82.32.145, and 82.32.380, applies to the administration, collection, and enforcement of the state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes.

(2) The state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes imposed by this chapter, along with reports and returns on forms prescribed by the department, are due at the same time the taxpayer reports other taxes under RCW 82.32.045. If no other taxes are reported under RCW 82.32.045, the taxpayer shall remit tax on an annual basis in accordance with RCW 82.32.045.

(3) The department of revenue may relieve any taxpayer or class of taxpayers from the obligation of remitting monthly and may require the return to cover other longer reporting periods, but in no event may returns be filed for a period greater than one year.

(4) The state enhanced 911 excise ((~~tax~~)) taxes imposed by this chapter ((is)) are in addition to any taxes imposed upon the same persons under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW.

Sec. 15. RCW 82.14B.200 and 1998 c 304 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Unless a local exchange company or a radio communications service company has taken from the buyer a resale certificate or equivalent document under RCW 82.04.470, the burden of proving that a sale of the use of a switched access ((~~lines [line]~~)) line or radio access line was not a sale to a subscriber is upon the person who made the sale.

(2) If a local exchange company or a radio communications service company does not receive a resale certificate at the time of the sale, have a resale certificate on file at the time of the sale, or obtain a resale certificate from the buyer within a reasonable time after the sale, the local exchange company or the radio communications service company remains liable for the tax as provided in RCW 82.14B.042, unless the local exchange company or the radio communications service company can demonstrate facts and circumstances according to rules adopted by the department of revenue that show the sale was properly made without payment of the state enhanced 911 excise tax.

(3) The penalty imposed by RCW 82.32.291 may not be assessed on state enhanced 911 excise taxes due but not paid as a result of the improper use of a resale certificate. This subsection does not prohibit or restrict the application of other penalties authorized by law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. RCW 38.52.560 (Automatic number identification--Wireless two-way telecommunications service) and 1994 c 96 s 5 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 17. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. This act takes effect January 1, 2002.