Title: An act relating to the disbursement of funds by air pollution control agencies.

Brief Description: Modifying the disbursement of funds by air pollution control agencies.

Sponsors: By Representatives Alexander, Simpson, Schindler and Holmquist.

Brief History:

Local Government: 2/2/05, 2/14/05 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/8/05, 94-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Simpson, Chair; Clibborn, Vice Chair; Schindler, Ranking Minority Member; Ahern, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; B. Sullivan, Takko and Woods.

Staff: Ethan Moreno (786-7386).

Background:

Local air pollution control authorities (authorities) are established by the Washington Clean Air Act. Each authority is a municipal corporation that is responsible for carrying out specified duties and exercising powers as provided by law. Each of Washington's 39 counties has an authority created within it; however, some county authorities are inactive. Counties with inactive authorities are served by the Washington Department of Ecology's Air Quality Program. Seven multi-county authorities have been formed by county boards of commissioners by combining county authorities with adjacent county's authorities.

Each authority is governed by a board of directors (board). The board of an activated authority has specific administrative and other powers prescribed in statute.

The treasurer of each component city, town, or county within an authority must create a separate fund for monies collected from taxes or other sources that are levied by or obtained for activated authorities. These monies must be forwarded quarterly by the treasurer of each applicable local government to the treasurer of the county designated by the board as the authority treasurer. This authority treasurer must establish and maintain these resulting funds as authorized by the board. Money must be disbursed from these funds upon warrants drawn by a board-designated county auditor. The respective county must be reimbursed by the board for services rendered by the authority treasurer and auditor in connection with the receipt and disbursement of these funds.

Summary of Bill:

Monies collected for an authority in accordance with specified provisions may be disbursed upon warrants drawn by an authority or designated county auditor. If an authority chooses to use a county auditor for the disbursement of funds, the county must be reimbursed by the authority's board of directors for services rendered by the auditor in connection with the disbursements.

Additionally, a number of technical changes are made.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: A number of junior taxing districts and other public entities use county auditors for services, and many are required to process financial warrants through auditors. Many of these entities have sufficient capabilities to process their own warrants. This bill will allow clean air agencies with sufficient internal resources and abilities to process their own warrants without using county auditors.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Alexander, prime sponsor.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.