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

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

Sponsors: House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Alexander, Hunt, Curtis and Simpson).

Brief History: Passed House: 1/29/07, 97-0.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 3/20/07 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Oemig, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Kline, Pridemore and Swecker.

Staff: Sharon Swanson (786-7447)

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 the authorities of adjacent counties.

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 a county treasurer designated by the board as its treasurer. This authority treasurer must establish and maintain the resulting funds as authorized by the board. Monies expended from these funds must be disbursed through warrants drawn by a county auditor designated by the board as its 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 funds.

Summary of Substitute Bill: Monies collected for an air pollution control authority in accordance with specified provisions may be disbursed upon warrants drawn either by an authority or a county auditor designated by the authority's board of directors.

Air pollution control authority boards are not required to reimburse counties for services rendered by county treasurers in connection with the receipt of authority monies.

If a county authority chooses to use a county auditor for the disbursement of funds, the respective county must be reimbursed by the board for services rendered by the auditor of the respective county.

Additionally, a number of technical changes are made.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Several clean air authorities already issue their own warrants but Thurston County wanted to have the legislative authority to do so. This bill makes sense. This legislation will bring all jurisdictions into alignment.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Richard Stedman, Olympic Region Clean Air Authority.