BILL REQ. #:  H-4035.1 

Read first time 01/26/2004.   Referred to Committee on Finance.

     AN ACT Relating to the payment of excise taxes; and amending RCW 82.32.045, 82.23B.020, and 82.27.060.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 82.32.045 and 2003 1st sp.s. c 13 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, payments of the taxes imposed under chapters 82.04, 82.08, 82.12, 82.14, and 82.16 RCW, along with reports and returns on forms prescribed by the department, are due monthly within ((twenty)) twenty-five days after the end of the month in which the taxable activities occur.
     (2) 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. For these taxpayers, tax payments are due on or before the last day of the month next succeeding the end of the period covered by the return.
     (3) The department of revenue may also require verified annual returns from any taxpayer, setting forth such additional information as it may deem necessary to correctly determine tax liability.
     (4) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the department may relieve any person of the requirement to file returns if the following conditions are met:
     (a) The person's value of products, gross proceeds of sales, or gross income of the business, from all business activities taxable under chapter 82.04 RCW, is less than twenty-eight thousand dollars per year;
     (b) The person's gross income of the business from all activities taxable under chapter 82.16 RCW is less than twenty-four thousand dollars per year; and
     (c) The person is not required to collect or pay to the department of revenue any other tax or fee which the department is authorized to collect.

Sec. 2   RCW 82.23B.020 and 2003 1st sp.s. c 13 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) An oil spill response tax is imposed on the privilege of receiving crude oil or petroleum products at a marine terminal within this state from a waterborne vessel or barge operating on the navigable waters of this state. The tax imposed in this section is levied upon the owner of the crude oil or petroleum products immediately after receipt of the same into the storage tanks of a marine terminal from a waterborne vessel or barge at the rate of one cent per barrel of crude oil or petroleum product received.
     (2) In addition to the tax imposed in subsection (1) of this section, an oil spill administration tax is imposed on the privilege of receiving crude oil or petroleum products at a marine terminal within this state from a waterborne vessel or barge operating on the navigable waters of this state. The tax imposed in this section is levied upon the owner of the crude oil or petroleum products immediately after receipt of the same into the storage tanks of a marine terminal from a waterborne vessel or barge at the rate of four cents per barrel of crude oil or petroleum product.
     (3) The taxes imposed by this chapter shall be collected by the marine terminal operator from the taxpayer. If any person charged with collecting the taxes fails to bill the taxpayer for the taxes, or in the alternative has not notified the taxpayer in writing of the imposition of the taxes, or having collected the taxes, fails to pay them to the department in the manner prescribed by this chapter, whether such failure is the result of the person's own acts or the result of acts or conditions beyond the person's control, he or she shall, nevertheless, be personally liable to the state for the amount of the taxes. Payment of the taxes by the owner to a marine terminal operator shall relieve the owner from further liability for the taxes.
     (4) Taxes collected under this chapter shall be held in trust until paid to the department. Any person collecting the taxes who appropriates or converts the taxes collected shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor if the money required to be collected is not available for payment on the date payment is due. The taxes required by this chapter to be collected shall be stated separately from other charges made by the marine terminal operator in any invoice or other statement of account provided to the taxpayer.
     (5) If a taxpayer fails to pay the taxes imposed by this chapter to the person charged with collection of the taxes and the person charged with collection fails to pay the taxes to the department, the department may, in its discretion, proceed directly against the taxpayer for collection of the taxes.
     (6) The taxes shall be due from the marine terminal operator, along with reports and returns on forms prescribed by the department, within ((twenty)) twenty-five days after the end of the month in which the taxable activity occurs.
     (7) The amount of taxes, until paid by the taxpayer to the marine terminal operator or to the department, shall constitute a debt from the taxpayer to the marine terminal operator. Any person required to collect the taxes under this chapter who, with intent to violate the provisions of this chapter, fails or refuses to do so as required and any taxpayer who refuses to pay any taxes due under this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor as provided in chapter 9A.20 RCW.
     (8) Upon prior approval of the department, the taxpayer may pay the taxes imposed by this chapter directly to the department. The department shall give its approval for direct payment under this section whenever it appears, in the department's judgment, that direct payment will enhance the administration of the taxes imposed under this chapter. The department shall provide by rule for the issuance of a direct payment certificate to any taxpayer qualifying for direct payment of the taxes. Good faith acceptance of a direct payment certificate by a terminal operator shall relieve the marine terminal operator from any liability for the collection or payment of the taxes imposed under this chapter.
     (9) All receipts from the tax imposed in subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited into the state oil spill response account. All receipts from the tax imposed in subsection (2) of this section shall be deposited into the oil spill prevention account.
     (10) Within forty-five days after the end of each calendar quarter, the office of financial management shall determine the balance of the oil spill response account as of the last day of that calendar quarter. Balance determinations by the office of financial management under this section are final and shall not be used to challenge the validity of any tax imposed under this chapter. The office of financial management shall promptly notify the departments of revenue and ecology of the account balance once a determination is made. For each subsequent calendar quarter, the tax imposed by subsection (1) of this section shall be imposed during the entire calendar quarter unless:
     (a) Tax was imposed under subsection (1) of this section during the immediately preceding calendar quarter, and the most recent quarterly balance is more than nine million dollars; or
     (b) Tax was not imposed under subsection (1) of this section during the immediately preceding calendar quarter, and the most recent quarterly balance is more than eight million dollars.

Sec. 3   RCW 82.27.060 and 2003 1st sp.s. c 13 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     The taxes levied by this chapter shall be due for payment monthly and remittance therefor shall be made within ((twenty)) twenty-five days after the end of the month in which the taxable activity occurs. The taxpayer on or before the due date shall make out a signed return, setting out such information as the department of revenue may require, including the gross measure of the tax, any deductions, credits, or exemptions claimed, and the amount of tax due for the preceding monthly period, which amount shall be transmitted to the department along with the return.
     The department may relieve any taxpayer from the obligation of filing a monthly return and may require the return to cover other periods, but in no event may periodic returns be filed for a period greater than one year. In such cases tax payments are due on or before the last day of the month next succeeding the end of the period covered by the return.