READ FIRST TIME 02/18/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to county treasurer administrative changes; amending RCW 1.12.070, 36.29.010, 63.29.020, 63.29.190, 82.02.020, 84.56.020, 84.56.310, and 84.69.020; adding a new section to chapter 84.56 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 1.12.070 and 1967 c 222 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Except as otherwise specifically provided by law hereafter:
     (1) Any report, claim, tax return, statement or other document required to be filed with, or any payment made to the state or to any political subdivision thereof, which is (a) transmitted through the United States mail or private third-party delivery service, shall be deemed filed and received by the state or political subdivision on the date shown by the post office or private third-party delivery service cancellation mark or shipping date stamped or affixed upon the envelope or other appropriate wrapper containing it; or (b) mailed via United States mail or sent by a private third-party delivery service but not received by the state or political subdivision, or where received and the cancellation mark or shipping date is illegible, erroneous, or omitted, shall be deemed filed and received on the date it was mailed if the sender establishes by competent evidence that the report, claim, tax return, statement, remittance, or other document was deposited with a private third-party delivery service or in the United States mail on or before the date due for filing; and in cases of such nonreceipt of a report, tax return, statement, remittance, or other document required by law to be filed, the sender files with the state or political subdivision a duplicate within ten days after written notification is given to the sender by the state or political subdivision of its nonreceipt of such report, tax return, statement, remittance, or other document.
     (2)(a) If any report, claim, tax return, statement, remittance, or other document is sent by United States registered mail, certified mail or certificate of mailing, a record authenticated by the United States post office of such registration, certification or certificate shall be considered competent evidence that the report, claim, tax return, statement, remittance or other document was delivered to the addressee, and the date of registration, certification or certificate shall be deemed the postmarked date.
     (b) If any report, claim, tax return, statement, remittance, or other document is sent via private third-party delivery service, a record authenticated by the private third-party delivery service shall be considered competent evidence that the report, claim, tax return, statement, remittance, or other document was delivered to the addressee, and the date of deposit with the private third-party delivery service shall be deemed the shipping date.
     (3) If the date for filing any report, claim, tax return, statement, remittance, or other document falls upon a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the filing shall be considered timely if performed on the next business day.

Sec. 2   RCW 36.29.010 and 2002 c 168 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The county treasurer:
     (1) Shall receive all money due the county and disburse it on warrants issued and attested by the county auditor and electronic funds transfer under RCW 39.58.750 as attested by the county auditor;
     (2) Shall issue a receipt in duplicate for all money received other than taxes; the treasurer shall deliver immediately to the person making the payment the original receipt and the duplicate shall be retained by the treasurer;
     (3) Shall affix on the face of all paid warrants the date of redemption or, in the case of proper contract between the treasurer and a qualified public depositary, the treasurer may consider the date affixed by the financial institution as the date of redemption;
     (4) Shall endorse, before the date of issue by the county or by any taxing district for whom the county treasurer acts as treasurer, on the face of all warrants for which there are not sufficient funds for payment, "interest bearing warrant." When there are funds to redeem outstanding warrants, the county treasurer shall give notice:
     (a) By publication in a legal newspaper published or circulated in the county; or
     (b) By posting at three public places in the county if there is no such newspaper; or
     (c) By notification to the financial institution holding the warrant;
     (5) Shall pay interest on all interest-bearing warrants from the date of issue to the date of notification;
     (6) Shall maintain financial records reflecting receipts and disbursement by fund in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
     (7) Shall account for and pay all bonded indebtedness for the county and all special districts for which the county treasurer acts as treasurer;
     (8) Shall invest all funds of the county or any special district in the treasurer's custody, not needed for immediate expenditure, in a manner consistent with appropriate statutes. If cash is needed to redeem warrants issued from any fund in the custody of the treasurer, the treasurer shall liquidate investments in an amount sufficient to cover such warrant redemptions; and
     (9) May provide certain collection services for county departments.
     The treasurer, at the expiration of the term of office, shall make a complete settlement with the county legislative authority, and shall deliver to the successor all public money, books, and papers in the treasurer's possession.
     Money received by all entities for whom the county treasurer serves as treasurer must be deposited within twenty-four hours in an account designated by the county treasurer unless a waiver is granted by the county treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.09.240.

Sec. 3   RCW 63.29.020 and 2004 c 168 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, all intangible property, including any income or increment derived therefrom, less any lawful charges, that is held, issued, or owing in the ordinary course of the holder's business and has remained unclaimed by the owner for more than three years after it became payable or distributable is presumed abandoned.
     (2) Property, with the exception of unredeemed Washington state lottery tickets and unpresented winning parimutuel tickets, is payable and distributable for the purpose of this chapter notwithstanding the owner's failure to make demand or to present any instrument or document required to receive payment.
     (3) This chapter does not apply to claims drafts issued by insurance companies representing offers to settle claims unliquidated in amount or settled by subsequent drafts or other means.
     (4) This chapter does not apply to property covered by chapter 63.26 RCW.
     (5) This chapter does not apply to used clothing, umbrellas, bags, luggage, or other used personal effects if such property is disposed of by the holder as follows:
     (a) In the case of personal effects of negligible value, the property is destroyed; or
     (b) The property is donated to a bona fide charity.
     (6) This chapter does not apply to a gift certificate subject to the prohibition against expiration dates under RCW 19.240.020 or to a gift certificate subject to RCW 19.240.030 through 19.240.060. However, this chapter applies to gift certificates presumed abandoned under RCW 63.29.110.
     (7) This chapter does not apply to excess proceeds held by counties, cities, towns, and other municipal or quasi-municipal corporations from foreclosures for delinquent property taxes, assessments, or other liens.

Sec. 4   RCW 63.29.190 and 1993 c 498 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a person who is required to file a report under RCW 63.29.170 shall pay or deliver to the department all abandoned property required to be reported at the time of filing the report.
     (2) Counties, cities, towns, and other municipal and quasi-municipal corporations that hold funds representing warrants canceled pursuant to RCW 36.22.100 and 39.56.040, uncashed checks, ((excess proceeds from property tax and irrigation district foreclosures,)) and property tax overpayments or refunds may retain the funds until the owner notifies them and establishes ownership as provided in RCW 63.29.135. Counties, cities, towns, or other municipal or quasi-municipal corporations shall provide to the department a report of property it is holding pursuant to this section. The report shall identify the property and owner in the manner provided in RCW 63.29.170 and the department shall publish the information as provided in RCW 63.29.180.
     (3) The contents of a safe deposit box or other safekeeping repository presumed abandoned under RCW 63.29.160 and reported under RCW 63.29.170 shall be paid or delivered to the department within six months after the final date for filing the report required by RCW 63.29.170.
      If the owner establishes the right to receive the abandoned property to the satisfaction of the holder before the property has been delivered or it appears that for some other reason the presumption of abandonment is erroneous, the holder need not pay or deliver the property to the department, and the property will no longer be presumed abandoned. In that case, the holder shall file with the department a verified written explanation of the proof of claim or of the error in the presumption of abandonment.
     (4) The holder of an interest under RCW 63.29.100 shall deliver a duplicate certificate or other evidence of ownership if the holder does not issue certificates of ownership to the department. Upon delivery of a duplicate certificate to the department, the holder and any transfer agent, registrar, or other person acting for or on behalf of a holder in executing or delivering the duplicate certificate is relieved of all liability of every kind in accordance with RCW 63.29.200 to every person, including any person acquiring the original certificate or the duplicate of the certificate issued to the department, for any losses or damages resulting to any person by the issuance and delivery to the department of the duplicate certificate.

Sec. 5   RCW 82.02.020 and 1997 c 452 s 21 are each amended to read as follows:
     Except only as expressly provided in chapters 67.28 and 82.14 RCW, the state preempts the field of imposing taxes upon retail sales of tangible personal property, the use of tangible personal property, parimutuel wagering authorized pursuant to RCW 67.16.060, conveyances, and cigarettes, and no county, town, or other municipal subdivision shall have the right to impose taxes of that nature. Except as provided in RCW 82.02.050 through 82.02.090, no county, city, town, or other municipal corporation shall impose any tax, fee, or charge, either direct or indirect, on the construction or reconstruction of residential buildings, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, or on any other building or building space or appurtenance thereto, or on the development, subdivision, classification, or reclassification of land. However, this section does not preclude dedications of land or easements within the proposed development or plat which the county, city, town, or other municipal corporation can demonstrate are reasonably necessary as a direct result of the proposed development or plat to which the dedication of land or easement is to apply.
     This section does not prohibit voluntary agreements with counties, cities, towns, or other municipal corporations that allow a payment in lieu of a dedication of land or to mitigate a direct impact that has been identified as a consequence of a proposed development, subdivision, or plat. A local government shall not use such voluntary agreements for local off-site transportation improvements within the geographic boundaries of the area or areas covered by an adopted transportation program authorized by chapter 39.92 RCW. Any such voluntary agreement is subject to the following provisions:
     (1) The payment shall be held in a reserve account and may only be expended to fund a capital improvement agreed upon by the parties to mitigate the identified, direct impact;
     (2) The payment shall be expended in all cases within five years of collection; and
     (3) Any payment not so expended shall be refunded with interest to be calculated from the original date the deposit was received by the county and at the same rate applied to ((judgments to the property owners of record at the time of the refund)) tax refunds pursuant to RCW 84.69.100; however, if the payment is not expended within five years due to delay attributable to the developer, the payment shall be refunded without interest.
     No county, city, town, or other municipal corporation shall require any payment as part of such a voluntary agreement which the county, city, town, or other municipal corporation cannot establish is reasonably necessary as a direct result of the proposed development or plat.
     Nothing in this section prohibits cities, towns, counties, or other municipal corporations from collecting reasonable fees from an applicant for a permit or other governmental approval to cover the cost to the city, town, county, or other municipal corporation of processing applications, inspecting and reviewing plans, or preparing detailed statements required by chapter 43.21C RCW.
     This section does not limit the existing authority of any county, city, town, or other municipal corporation to impose special assessments on property specifically benefitted thereby in the manner prescribed by law.
     Nothing in this section prohibits counties, cities, or towns from imposing or permits counties, cities, or towns to impose water, sewer, natural gas, drainage utility, and drainage system charges: PROVIDED, That no such charge shall exceed the proportionate share of such utility or system's capital costs which the county, city, or town can demonstrate are attributable to the property being charged: PROVIDED FURTHER, That these provisions shall not be interpreted to expand or contract any existing authority of counties, cities, or towns to impose such charges.
     Nothing in this section prohibits a transportation benefit district from imposing fees or charges authorized in RCW 36.73.120 nor prohibits the legislative authority of a county, city, or town from approving the imposition of such fees within a transportation benefit district.
     Nothing in this section prohibits counties, cities, or towns from imposing transportation impact fees authorized pursuant to chapter 39.92 RCW.
     Nothing in this section prohibits counties, cities, or towns from requiring property owners to provide relocation assistance to tenants under RCW 59.18.440 and 59.18.450.
     This section does not apply to special purpose districts formed and acting pursuant to Titles 54, 57, or 87 RCW, nor is the authority conferred by these titles affected.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 84.56 RCW to read as follows:
     Every person who offers a document to the auditor of the proper county for recording that results in any division, alteration, or adjustment of real property boundary lines, except as provided for in RCW 58.04.007(1) and 84.40.042(1)(c), shall present a certificate of payment from the proper officer who is in charge of the collection of taxes and assessments for the affected property or properties. All taxes and assessments, both current and delinquent must be paid. For purposes of this act, liability shall begin on January 1st. Taxes not yet levied and certified shall be collected as an advance tax under RCW 58.08.040.

Sec. 7   RCW 84.56.020 and 2004 c 161 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The county treasurer shall be the receiver and collector of all taxes extended upon the tax rolls of the county, whether levied for state, county, school, bridge, road, municipal or other purposes, and also of all fines, forfeitures or penalties received by any person or officer for the use of his or her county. All taxes upon real and personal property made payable by the provisions of this title shall be due and payable to the treasurer on or before the thirtieth day of April and, except as provided in this section, shall be delinquent after that date.
     (2) Each tax statement shall include a notice that checks for payment of taxes may be made payable to "Treasurer of . . . . . . County" or other appropriate office, but tax statements shall not include any suggestion that checks may be made payable to the name of the individual holding the office of treasurer nor any other individual.
     (3) When the total amount of tax or special assessments on personal property or on any lot, block or tract of real property payable by one person is fifty dollars or more, and if one-half of such tax be paid on or before the thirtieth day of April, the remainder of such tax shall be due and payable on or before the thirty-first day of October following and shall be delinquent after that date.
     (4) When the total amount of tax or special assessments on any lot, block or tract of real property or on any mobile home payable by one person is fifty dollars or more, and if one-half of such tax be paid after the thirtieth day of April but before the thirty-first day of October, together with the applicable interest and penalty on the full amount of tax payable for that year, the remainder of such tax shall be due and payable on or before the thirty-first day of October following and shall be delinquent after that date.
     (5) Delinquent taxes under this section are subject to interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum computed on a monthly basis on the full year amount of tax unpaid from the date of delinquency until paid. Interest shall be calculated at the rate in effect at the time of payment of the tax, regardless of when the taxes were first delinquent. In addition, delinquent taxes under this section are subject to penalties as follows:
     (a) A penalty of three percent of the full year amount of tax unpaid shall be assessed on the tax delinquent on June 1st of the year in which the tax is due.
     (b) An additional penalty of eight percent shall be assessed on the amount of tax delinquent on December 1st of the year in which the tax is due.
     (6) Subsection (5) of this section notwithstanding, no interest or penalties may be assessed ((for the period April 30, 2003, through April 30, 2005,)) during any period of armed conflict on delinquent taxes imposed ((for collection in 2003 or 2004 which are imposed)) on the personal residences owned by active duty military personnel who ((participated in the situation known as "Operation Enduring Freedom.")) are participating as part of one of the branches of the military involved in the conflict and assigned to a duty station outside the territorial boundaries of the United States.
     (7) For purposes of this chapter, "interest" means both interest and penalties.
     (8) All collections of interest on delinquent taxes shall be credited to the county current expense fund; but the cost of foreclosure and sale of real property, and the fees and costs of distraint and sale of personal property, for delinquent taxes, shall, when collected, be credited to the operation and maintenance fund of the county treasurer prosecuting the foreclosure or distraint or sale; and shall be used by the county treasurer as a revolving fund to defray the cost of further foreclosure, distraint and sale for delinquent taxes without regard to budget limitations.

Sec. 8   RCW 84.56.310 and 1961 c 15 s 84.56.310 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any person being the owner or having an interest in an estate or claim to real property against which taxes ((shall have been unpaid)) have not been paid may pay the same and satisfy the lien at any time before ((execution of a deed to said)) the filing of a certificate of delinquency against the real property. The person or authority who shall collect or receive the same shall give a certificate that such taxes have been so paid to the person or persons entitled to demand such certificate. After the filing of a certificate of delinquency, the redemption rights shall be controlled by RCW 84.64.060.

Sec. 9   RCW 84.69.020 and 2002 c 168 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
     On the order of the county treasurer, ad valorem taxes paid before or after delinquency shall be refunded if they were:
     (1) Paid more than once;
     (2) Paid as a result of manifest error in description;
     (3) Paid as a result of a clerical error in extending the tax rolls;
     (4) Paid as a result of other clerical errors in listing property;
     (5) Paid with respect to improvements which did not exist on assessment date;
     (6) Paid under levies or statutes adjudicated to be illegal or unconstitutional;
     (7) Paid as a result of mistake, inadvertence, or lack of knowledge by any person exempted from paying real property taxes or a portion thereof pursuant to RCW 84.36.381 through 84.36.389, as now or hereafter amended;
     (8) Paid as a result of mistake, inadvertence, or lack of knowledge by either a public official or employee or by any person with respect to real property in which the person paying the same has no legal interest;
     (9) Paid on the basis of an assessed valuation which was appealed to the county board of equalization and ordered reduced by the board;
     (10) Paid on the basis of an assessed valuation which was appealed to the state board of tax appeals and ordered reduced by the board: PROVIDED, That the amount refunded under subsections (9) and (10) of this section shall only be for the difference between the tax paid on the basis of the appealed valuation and the tax payable on the valuation adjusted in accordance with the board's order;
     (11) Paid as a state property tax levied upon property, the assessed value of which has been established by the state board of tax appeals for the year of such levy: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That the amount refunded shall only be for the difference between the state property tax paid and the amount of state property tax which would, when added to all other property taxes within the one percent limitation of Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution equal one percent of the assessed value established by the board;
     (12) Paid on the basis of an assessed valuation which was adjudicated to be unlawful or excessive: PROVIDED, That the amount refunded shall be for the difference between the amount of tax which was paid on the basis of the valuation adjudged unlawful or excessive and the amount of tax payable on the basis of the assessed valuation determined as a result of the proceeding;
     (13) Paid on property acquired under RCW 84.60.050, and canceled under RCW 84.60.050(2);
     (14) Paid on the basis of an assessed valuation that was reduced under RCW 84.48.065;
     (15) Paid on the basis of an assessed valuation that was reduced under RCW 84.40.039; or
     (16) Abated under RCW 84.70.010.
     No refunds under the provisions of this section shall be made because of any error in determining the valuation of property, except as authorized in subsections (9), (10), (11), and (12) of this section nor may any refunds be made if a bona fide purchaser has acquired rights that would preclude the assessment and collection of the refunded tax from the property that should properly have been charged with the tax. Any refunds made on delinquent taxes shall include the proportionate amount of interest and penalties paid. However, no refunds as a result of an incorrect payment authorized under subsection (8) of this section made by a third party payee shall ((not include refund interest)) be granted. The county treasurer may deduct from moneys collected for the benefit of the state's levy, refunds of the state levy including interest on the levy as provided by this section and chapter 84.68 RCW.
     The county treasurer of each county shall make all refunds determined to be authorized by this section, and by the first Monday in February of each year, report to the county legislative authority a list of all refunds made under this section during the previous year. The list is to include the name of the person receiving the refund, the amount of the refund, and the reason for the refund.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   Section 7 of this act applies to all taxes levied for collection in 2005 and thereafter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.