Read first time 02/10/09.   Referred to Committee on Finance.

     AN ACT Relating to reducing the business and occupation tax burden on the newspaper industry; amending RCW 82.04.280, 82.04.280, 35.102.150, and 82.08.806; amending 2006 c 300 s 12 (uncodified); reenacting and amending RCW 82.04.260, 82.32.590, and 82.32.600; adding a new section to chapter 82.32 RCW; providing an effective date; providing a contingent effective date; providing a contingent expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 82.04.260 and 2008 c 296 s 1, 2008 c 217 s 100, and 2008 c 81 s 4 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing:
     (a) Wheat into flour, barley into pearl barley, soybeans into soybean oil, canola into canola oil, canola meal, or canola byproducts, or sunflower seeds into sunflower oil; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the value of the flour, pearl barley, oil, canola meal, or canola byproduct manufactured, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent;
     (b) Beginning July 1, 2012, seafood products that remain in a raw, raw frozen, or raw salted state at the completion of the manufacturing by that person; or selling manufactured seafood products that remain in a raw, raw frozen, or raw salted state at the completion of the manufacturing, to purchasers who transport in the ordinary course of business the goods out of this state; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the value of the products manufactured or the gross proceeds derived from such sales, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent. Sellers must keep and preserve records for the period required by RCW 82.32.070 establishing that the goods were transported by the purchaser in the ordinary course of business out of this state;
     (c) Beginning July 1, 2012, dairy products that as of September 20, 2001, are identified in 21 C.F.R., chapter 1, parts 131, 133, and 135, including byproducts from the manufacturing of the dairy products such as whey and casein; or selling the same to purchasers who transport in the ordinary course of business the goods out of state; as to such persons the tax imposed shall be equal to the value of the products manufactured or the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent. Sellers must keep and preserve records for the period required by RCW 82.32.070 establishing that the goods were transported by the purchaser in the ordinary course of business out of this state;
     (d) Beginning July 1, 2012, fruits or vegetables by canning, preserving, freezing, processing, or dehydrating fresh fruits or vegetables, or selling at wholesale fruits or vegetables manufactured by the seller by canning, preserving, freezing, processing, or dehydrating fresh fruits or vegetables and sold to purchasers who transport in the ordinary course of business the goods out of this state; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the value of the products manufactured or the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent. Sellers must keep and preserve records for the period required by RCW 82.32.070 establishing that the goods were transported by the purchaser in the ordinary course of business out of this state;
     (e) Until July 1, 2009, alcohol fuel, biodiesel fuel, or biodiesel feedstock, as those terms are defined in RCW 82.29A.135; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to the business shall be equal to the value of alcohol fuel, biodiesel fuel, or biodiesel feedstock manufactured, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent; and
     (f) Alcohol fuel or wood biomass fuel, as those terms are defined in RCW 82.29A.135; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to the business shall be equal to the value of alcohol fuel or wood biomass fuel manufactured, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent.
     (2) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of splitting or processing dried peas; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the value of the peas split or processed, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent.
     (3) Upon every nonprofit corporation and nonprofit association engaging within this state in research and development, as to such corporations and associations, the amount of tax with respect to such activities shall be equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.484 percent.
     (4) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of slaughtering, breaking and/or processing perishable meat products and/or selling the same at wholesale only and not at retail; as to such persons the tax imposed shall be equal to the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent.
     (5) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of acting as a travel agent or tour operator; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such activities shall be equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.275 percent.
     (6) Upon every person engaging within this state in business as an international steamship agent, international customs house broker, international freight forwarder, vessel and/or cargo charter broker in foreign commerce, and/or international air cargo agent; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to only international activities shall be equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.275 percent.
     (7) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of stevedoring and associated activities pertinent to the movement of goods and commodities in waterborne interstate or foreign commerce; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross proceeds derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.275 percent. Persons subject to taxation under this subsection shall be exempt from payment of taxes imposed by chapter 82.16 RCW for that portion of their business subject to taxation under this subsection. Stevedoring and associated activities pertinent to the conduct of goods and commodities in waterborne interstate or foreign commerce are defined as all activities of a labor, service or transportation nature whereby cargo may be loaded or unloaded to or from vessels or barges, passing over, onto or under a wharf, pier, or similar structure; cargo may be moved to a warehouse or similar holding or storage yard or area to await further movement in import or export or may move to a consolidation freight station and be stuffed, unstuffed, containerized, separated or otherwise segregated or aggregated for delivery or loaded on any mode of transportation for delivery to its consignee. Specific activities included in this definition are: Wharfage, handling, loading, unloading, moving of cargo to a convenient place of delivery to the consignee or a convenient place for further movement to export mode; documentation services in connection with the receipt, delivery, checking, care, custody and control of cargo required in the transfer of cargo; imported automobile handling prior to delivery to consignee; terminal stevedoring and incidental vessel services, including but not limited to plugging and unplugging refrigerator service to containers, trailers, and other refrigerated cargo receptacles, and securing ship hatch covers.
     (8) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of disposing of low-level waste, as defined in RCW 43.145.010; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross income of the business, excluding any fees imposed under chapter 43.200 RCW, multiplied by the rate of 3.3 percent.
     If the gross income of the taxpayer is attributable to activities both within and without this state, the gross income attributable to this state shall be determined in accordance with the methods of apportionment required under RCW 82.04.460.
     (9) Upon every person engaging within this state as an insurance producer or title insurance agent licensed under chapter 48.17 RCW; as to such persons, the amount of the tax with respect to such licensed activities shall be equal to the gross income of such business multiplied by the rate of 0.484 percent.
     (10) Upon every person engaging within this state in business as a hospital, as defined in chapter 70.41 RCW, that is operated as a nonprofit corporation or by the state or any of its political subdivisions, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such activities shall be equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.75 percent through June 30, 1995, and 1.5 percent thereafter. The moneys collected under this subsection shall be deposited in the health services account created under RCW 43.72.900.
     (11)(a) Beginning October 1, 2005, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing commercial airplanes, or components of such airplanes, or making sales, at retail or wholesale, of commercial airplanes or components of such airplanes, manufactured by the seller, as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall, in the case of manufacturers, be equal to the value of the product manufactured and the gross proceeds of sales of the product manufactured, or in the case of processors for hire, be equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of:
     (i) 0.4235 percent from October 1, 2005, through the later of June 30, 2007; and
     (ii) 0.2904 percent beginning July 1, 2007.
     (b) Beginning July 1, 2008, upon every person who is not eligible to report under the provisions of (a) of this subsection (11) and is engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing tooling specifically designed for use in manufacturing commercial airplanes or components of such airplanes, or making sales, at retail or wholesale, of such tooling manufactured by the seller, as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall, in the case of manufacturers, be equal to the value of the product manufactured and the gross proceeds of sales of the product manufactured, or in the case of processors for hire, be equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.2904 percent.
     (c) For the purposes of this subsection (11), "commercial airplane" and "component" have the same meanings as provided in RCW 82.32.550.
     (d) In addition to all other requirements under this title, a person eligible for the tax rate under this subsection (11) must report as required under RCW 82.32.545.
     (e) This subsection (11) does not apply on and after July 1, 2024.
     (12)(a) Until July 1, 2024, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of extracting timber or extracting for hire timber; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to the business shall, in the case of extractors, be equal to the value of products, including byproducts, extracted, or in the case of extractors for hire, be equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.4235 percent from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, and 0.2904 percent from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2024.
     (b) Until July 1, 2024, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing or processing for hire: (i) Timber into timber products or wood products; or (ii) timber products into other timber products or wood products; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to the business shall, in the case of manufacturers, be equal to the value of products, including byproducts, manufactured, or in the case of processors for hire, be equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.4235 percent from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, and 0.2904 percent from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2024.
     (c) Until July 1, 2024, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of selling at wholesale: (i) Timber extracted by that person; (ii) timber products manufactured by that person from timber or other timber products; or (iii) wood products manufactured by that person from timber or timber products; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to the business shall be equal to the gross proceeds of sales of the timber, timber products, or wood products multiplied by the rate of 0.4235 percent from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, and 0.2904 percent from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2024.
     (d) Until July 1, 2024, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of selling standing timber; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to the business shall be equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.2904 percent. For purposes of this subsection (12)(d), "selling standing timber" means the sale of timber apart from the land, where the buyer is required to sever the timber within thirty months from the date of the original contract, regardless of the method of payment for the timber and whether title to the timber transfers before, upon, or after severance.
     (e) For purposes of this subsection, the following definitions apply:
     (i) "Biocomposite surface products" means surface material products containing, by weight or volume, more than fifty percent recycled paper and that also use nonpetroleum-based phenolic resin as a bonding agent.
     (ii) "Paper and paper products" means products made of interwoven cellulosic fibers held together largely by hydrogen bonding. "Paper and paper products" includes newsprint; office, printing, fine, and pressure-sensitive papers; paper napkins, towels, and toilet tissue; kraft bag, construction, and other kraft industrial papers; paperboard, liquid packaging containers, containerboard, corrugated, and solid-fiber containers including linerboard and corrugated medium; and related types of cellulosic products containing primarily, by weight or volume, cellulosic materials. "Paper and paper products" does not include books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, and other printed publications, advertising materials, calendars, and similar types of printed materials.
     (iii) "Recycled paper" means paper and paper products having fifty percent or more of their fiber content that comes from postconsumer waste. For purposes of this subsection (12)(e)(iii), "postconsumer waste" means a finished material that would normally be disposed of as solid waste, having completed its life cycle as a consumer item.
     (iv) "Timber" means forest trees, standing or down, on privately or publicly owned land. "Timber" does not include Christmas trees that are cultivated by agricultural methods or short-rotation hardwoods as defined in RCW 84.33.035.
     (v) "Timber products" means:
     (A) Logs, wood chips, sawdust, wood waste, and similar products obtained wholly from the processing of timber, short-rotation hardwoods as defined in RCW 84.33.035, or both;
     (B) Pulp, including market pulp and pulp derived from recovered paper or paper products; and
     (C) Recycled paper, but only when used in the manufacture of biocomposite surface products.
     (vi) "Wood products" means paper and paper products; dimensional lumber; engineered wood products such as particleboard, oriented strand board, medium density fiberboard, and plywood; wood doors; wood windows; and biocomposite surface products.
     (13) Upon every person engaging within this state in inspecting, testing, labeling, and storing canned salmon owned by another person, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such activities shall be equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.484 percent.
     (14) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of printing a newspaper, publishing a newspaper, or both, the amount of tax on such business is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.2904 percent.

Sec. 2   RCW 82.04.280 and 2006 c 300 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of: (1) Printing materials other than newspapers, and of publishing ((newspapers,)) periodicals((,)) or magazines; (2) building, repairing or improving any street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or by the United States and which is used or to be used, primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind and including any readjustment, reconstruction or relocation of the facilities of any public, private or cooperatively owned utility or railroad in the course of such building, repairing or improving, the cost of which readjustment, reconstruction, or relocation, is the responsibility of the public authority whose street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle is being built, repaired or improved; (3) extracting for hire or processing for hire, except persons taxable as extractors for hire or processors for hire under another section of this chapter; (4) operating a cold storage warehouse or storage warehouse, but not including the rental of cold storage lockers; (5) representing and performing services for fire or casualty insurance companies as an independent resident managing general agent licensed under the provisions of RCW 48.05.310; (6) radio and television broadcasting, excluding network, national and regional advertising computed as a standard deduction based on the national average thereof as annually reported by the Federal Communications Commission, or in lieu thereof by itemization by the individual broadcasting station, and excluding that portion of revenue represented by the out-of-state audience computed as a ratio to the station's total audience as measured by the 100 micro-volt signal strength and delivery by wire, if any; (7) engaging in activities which bring a person within the definition of consumer contained in RCW 82.04.190(6); as to such persons, the amount of tax on such business ((shall be)) is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.484 percent.
     As used in this section, "cold storage warehouse" means a storage warehouse used to store fresh and/or frozen perishable fruits or vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy products, or fowl, or any combination thereof, at a desired temperature to maintain the quality of the product for orderly marketing.
     As used in this section, "storage warehouse" means a building or structure, or any part thereof, in which goods, wares, or merchandise are received for storage for compensation, except field warehouses, fruit warehouses, fruit packing plants, warehouses licensed under chapter 22.09 RCW, public garages storing automobiles, railroad freight sheds, docks and wharves, and "self-storage" or "mini storage" facilities whereby customers have direct access to individual storage areas by separate entrance. "Storage warehouse" does not include a building or structure, or that part of such building or structure, in which an activity taxable under RCW 82.04.272 is conducted.
     As used in this section, "periodical or magazine" means a printed publication, other than a newspaper, issued regularly at stated intervals at least once every three months, including any supplement or special edition of the publication.

Sec. 3   RCW 82.04.280 and 2006 c 300 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of: (1) Printing materials other than newspapers, and of publishing ((newspapers,)) periodicals((,)) or magazines; (2) building, repairing or improving any street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or by the United States and which is used or to be used, primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind and including any readjustment, reconstruction or relocation of the facilities of any public, private or cooperatively owned utility or railroad in the course of such building, repairing or improving, the cost of which readjustment, reconstruction, or relocation, is the responsibility of the public authority whose street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle is being built, repaired or improved; (3) extracting for hire or processing for hire, except persons taxable as extractors for hire or processors for hire under another section of this chapter; (4) operating a cold storage warehouse or storage warehouse, but not including the rental of cold storage lockers; (5) representing and performing services for fire or casualty insurance companies as an independent resident managing general agent licensed under the provisions of RCW 48.05.310; (6) radio and television broadcasting, excluding network, national and regional advertising computed as a standard deduction based on the national average thereof as annually reported by the Federal Communications Commission, or in lieu thereof by itemization by the individual broadcasting station, and excluding that portion of revenue represented by the out-of-state audience computed as a ratio to the station's total audience as measured by the 100 micro-volt signal strength and delivery by wire, if any; (7) engaging in activities which bring a person within the definition of consumer contained in RCW 82.04.190(6); as to such persons, the amount of tax on such business ((shall be)) is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.484 percent.
     As used in this section, "cold storage warehouse" means a storage warehouse used to store fresh and/or frozen perishable fruits or vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy products, or fowl, or any combination thereof, at a desired temperature to maintain the quality of the product for orderly marketing.
     As used in this section, "storage warehouse" means a building or structure, or any part thereof, in which goods, wares, or merchandise are received for storage for compensation, except field warehouses, fruit warehouses, fruit packing plants, warehouses licensed under chapter 22.09 RCW, public garages storing automobiles, railroad freight sheds, docks and wharves, and "self-storage" or "mini storage" facilities whereby customers have direct access to individual storage areas by separate entrance. "Storage warehouse" does not include a building or structure, or that part of such building or structure, in which an activity taxable under RCW 82.04.272 is conducted.
     As used in this section, "periodical or magazine" means a printed publication, other than a newspaper, issued regularly at stated intervals at least once every three months, including any supplement or special edition of the publication.

Sec. 4   RCW 35.102.150 and 2006 c 272 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Notwithstanding RCW 35.102.130, a city that imposes a business and occupation tax ((shall)) must allocate a person's gross income from the activities of printing, and of publishing newspapers, periodicals, or magazines, to the principal place in this state from which the taxpayer's business is directed or managed. As used in this section, the activities of printing, and of publishing newspapers, periodicals, or magazines((, have the same meanings as attributed to those terms in RCW 82.04.280(1) by the department of revenue)) are those activities to which the tax rates in RCW 82.04.260(14) and 82.04.280(1) apply.

Sec. 5   RCW 82.08.806 and 2004 c 8 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 ((shall)) does not apply to sales, to a printer or publisher, of computer equipment, including repair parts and replacement parts for such equipment, when the computer equipment is used primarily in the printing or publishing of any printed material, or to sales of or charges made for labor and services rendered in respect to installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving the computer equipment. This exemption applies only to computer equipment not otherwise exempt under RCW 82.08.02565.
     (2) A person taking the exemption under this section must keep records necessary for the department to verify eligibility under this section. This exemption is available only when the purchaser provides the seller with an exemption certificate in a form and manner prescribed by the department. The seller shall retain a copy of the certificate for the seller's files.
     (3) The definitions in this subsection (3) apply throughout this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (a) "Computer" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.215.
     (b) "Computer equipment" means a computer and the associated physical components that constitute a computer system, including monitors, keyboards, printers, modems, scanners, pointing devices, and other computer peripheral equipment, cables, servers, and routers. "Computer equipment" also includes digital cameras and computer software.
     (c) "Computer software" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.215.
     (d) "Primarily" means greater than fifty percent as measured by time.
     (e) "Printer or publisher" means a person, as defined in RCW 82.04.030, who is subject to tax under RCW 82.04.260(14) or 82.04.280(1).
     (4) "Computer equipment" does not include computer equipment that is used primarily for administrative purposes including but not limited to payroll processing, accounting, customer service, telemarketing, and collection. If computer equipment is used simultaneously for administrative and nonadministrative purposes, the administrative use shall be disregarded during the period of simultaneous use for purposes of determining whether the computer equipment is used primarily for administrative purposes.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 82.32 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Every person claiming the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14) must file a complete annual report with the department. The report is due by March 31st of the year following any calendar year in which a person is eligible to claim the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14). The department may extend the due date for timely filing of annual reports under this section as provided in RCW 82.32.590.
     (b) The report must include information detailing employment, wages, and employer-provided health and retirement benefits for employment positions in Washington for the year that the preferential rate was claimed. The report must not include names of employees. The report must also detail employment by the total number of full-time, part-time, and temporary positions for the year that the tax preference was claimed.
     (c) If a person filing a report under this section did not file a report with the department in the previous calendar year, the report filed under this section must also include employment, wage, and benefit information for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year for which the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14) was claimed.
     (2) As part of the annual report, the department may request additional information necessary to measure the results of, or determine eligibility for, the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14).
     (3) Other than information requested under subsection (2) of this section, the information contained in an annual report filed under this section is not subject to the confidentiality provisions of RCW 82.32.330 and may be disclosed to the public upon request.
     (4) Except as otherwise provided by law, if a person claims the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14) but fails to submit a report by the due date or any extension under RCW 82.32.590, the department must declare the amount of the tax preference claimed for the previous calendar year to be immediately due and payable. The department must assess interest, but not penalties, on the amounts due under this subsection. The interest must be assessed at the rate provided for delinquent taxes under this chapter, retroactively to the date the tax preference was claimed, and accrues until the taxes for which the tax preference was claimed are repaid. Amounts due under this subsection are not subject to the confidentiality provisions of RCW 82.32.330 and may be disclosed to the public upon request.
     (5) By November 1, 2014, and November 1, 2016, the fiscal committees of the house of representatives and the senate, in consultation with the department, must report to the legislature on the effectiveness of the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14). The report must measure the effect of the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14) on job retention, net jobs created for Washington residents, industry growth, and other factors as the committees select. The report must include a discussion of principles to apply in evaluating whether the legislature should continue the preferential rate provided in RCW 82.04.260(14).

Sec. 7   RCW 82.32.590 and 2008 c 81 s 13 and 2008 c 15 s 7 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) If the department finds that the failure of a taxpayer to file an annual survey or annual report under RCW 82.04.4452, 82.32.5351, 82.32.650, 82.32.630, 82.32.610, 82.82.020, section 6 of this act, or 82.74.040 by the due date was the result of circumstances beyond the control of the taxpayer, the department shall extend the time for filing the survey or report. Such extension shall be for a period of thirty days from the date the department issues its written notification to the taxpayer that it qualifies for an extension under this section. The department may grant additional extensions as it deems proper.
     (2) In making a determination whether the failure of a taxpayer to file an annual survey or annual report by the due date was the result of circumstances beyond the control of the taxpayer, the department shall be guided by rules adopted by the department for the waiver or cancellation of penalties when the underpayment or untimely payment of any tax was due to circumstances beyond the control of the taxpayer.

Sec. 8   RCW 82.32.600 and 2008 c 81 s 14 and 2008 c 15 s 8 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) Persons required to file annual surveys or annual reports under RCW 82.04.4452, 82.32.5351, 82.32.545, 82.32.610, 82.32.630, 82.82.020, section 6 of this act, or 82.74.040 must electronically file with the department all surveys, reports, returns, and any other forms or information the department requires in an electronic format as provided or approved by the department. As used in this section, "returns" has the same meaning as "return" in RCW 82.32.050.
     (2) Any survey, report, return, or any other form or information required to be filed in an electronic format under subsection (1) of this section is not filed until received by the department in an electronic format.
     (3) The department may waive the electronic filing requirement in subsection (1) of this section for good cause shown.

Sec. 9   2006 c 300 s 12 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) ((This act and)) Section 3, chapter . . ., Laws of 2009 (section 3 of this act), section 7, chapter 300, Laws of 2006, and section 4, chapter 149, Laws of 2003 are contingent upon the siting and commercial operation of a significant semiconductor microchip fabrication facility in the state of Washington.
     (b) For the purposes of this section:
     (i) "Commercial operation" means the same as "commencement of commercial production" as used in RCW 82.08.965.
     (ii) "Semiconductor microchip fabrication" means "manufacturing semiconductor microchips" as defined in RCW 82.04.426.
     (iii) "Significant" means the combined investment of new buildings and new machinery and equipment in the buildings, at the commencement of commercial production, will be at least one billion dollars.
     (2) ((This act)) Chapter 149, Laws of 2003 takes effect the first day of the month in which a contract for the construction of a significant semiconductor fabrication facility is signed, as determined by the director of the department of revenue.
     (3)(a) The department of revenue ((shall)) must provide notice of the effective date of this act to affected taxpayers, the legislature, and others as deemed appropriate by the department.
     (b) If, after making a determination that a contract has been signed and ((this act)) chapter 149, Laws of 2003 is effective, the department discovers that commencement of commercial production did not take place within three years of the date the contract was signed, the department ((shall)) must make a determination that ((this act)) chapter 149, Laws of 2003 is no longer effective, and all taxes that would have been otherwise due ((shall be)) are deemed deferred taxes and are immediately assessed and payable from any person reporting tax under RCW 82.04.240(2) or claiming an exemption or credit under section 2 or 5 through 10 ((of this act)), chapter 149, Laws of 2003. The department is not authorized to make a second determination regarding the effective date of ((this act)) chapter 149, Laws of 2003.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, 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 July 1, 2009.
     (2) Section 3 of this act takes effect if the contingency in section 9 of this act occurs.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   Section 2 of this act expires on the date that section 3 of this act takes effect.