BILL REQ. #:  S-0150.1 

Read first time 01/10/2005.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to county treasurer administrative changes; amending RCW 1.12.070, 36.29.010, 63.29.135, 63.29.190, 82.02.020, 82.45.090, 84.56.310, and 84.69.020; adding a new section to chapter 84.56 RCW; and providing an effective date.

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 63.29.135 and 1990 2nd ex.s. c 1 s 301 are each amended to read as follows:
     A local government holding abandoned intangible property that is not forwarded to the department of revenue, as authorized under RCW 63.29.190, shall not be required to maintain current records of this property for longer than five years after the property is presumed to be abandoned except for intangible property held pursuant to RCW 84.64.080 the limit is three years, and at that time may archive records of this intangible property and transfer the intangible property to its general fund. However, except for intangible property held pursuant to RCW 84.64.080, the local government ((shall)) may remain liable to pay the intangible property to a person or entity subsequently establishing its ownership of this intangible property.

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, except counties, 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.

Sec. 6   RCW 82.45.090 and 2003 c 53 s 404 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except for a sale of a beneficial interest in real property where no instrument evidencing the sale is recorded in the official real property records of the county in which the property is located, or the sale of a water right that is transferred separately from the land, or both, the tax imposed by this chapter shall be paid to and collected by the treasurer of the county within which is located the real property which was sold. In collecting the tax the treasurer shall act as agent for the state. The county treasurer shall cause a stamp evidencing satisfaction of the lien to be affixed to the instrument of sale or conveyance prior to its recording or to the real estate excise tax affidavit in the case of used mobile home sales and used floating home sales. A receipt issued by the county treasurer for the payment of the tax imposed under this chapter shall be evidence of the satisfaction of the lien imposed hereunder and may be recorded in the manner prescribed for recording satisfactions of mortgages. Except for an instrument of sale or conveyance for the sale of a water right that is transferred separately from the land, no instrument of sale or conveyance evidencing a sale subject to the tax shall be accepted by the county auditor for filing or recording until the tax shall have been paid and the stamp affixed thereto; in case the tax is not due on the transfer, the instrument shall not be so accepted until suitable notation of such fact has been made on the instrument by the treasurer.
     (2)(a) For a sale of a beneficial interest in real property where a tax is due under this chapter and where no instrument is recorded in the official real property records of the county in which the property is located, the sale shall be reported to the department of revenue within five days from the date of the sale on such returns or forms and according to such procedures as the department may prescribe.
     ((Such)) (b) For the sale of a water right that is transferred separately from the land and tax is due under this chapter, the sale shall be reported to the department within five days from the date of the sale on such returns and according to such procedures as the department may prescribe.
     (c) Forms or returns shall be signed by both the transferor and the transferee and shall be accompanied by payment of the tax due.
     (((3))) (d) Any person who intentionally makes a false statement on any return or form required to be filed with the department under this chapter is guilty of perjury under chapter 9A.72 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   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 file a certificate from the proper officer who may be in charge of the collection of taxes and assessments for which the property affected may be liable at that date, that all current year and delinquent taxes and assessments which have been levied and become chargeable against the property have been paid.

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 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 or judgment, as provided in chapter 84.64 RCW, 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.

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   This act takes effect August 1, 2005.