BILL REQ. #:  H-3197.1 

Read first time 01/28/14.   Referred to Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government & Information Technology.

     AN ACT Relating to state parks, recreation, and natural resources fiscal matters; amending RCW 7.84.100; and reenacting and amending RCW 3.62.020.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 3.62.020 and 2012 c 262 s 1, 2012 c 136 s 4, and 2012 c 134 s 6 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, all costs, fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected in whole or in part by district courts, except costs, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected, in whole or in part, because of the violation of city ordinances, shall be remitted by the clerk of the district court to the county treasurer at least monthly, together with a financial statement as required by the state auditor, noting the information necessary for crediting of such funds as required by law.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 9A.88.120, 10.99.080, ((7.84.100(4),)) and this section, the county treasurer shall remit thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under subsection (1) of this section except certain costs to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state or county in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. With the exception of funds to be transferred to the judicial stabilization trust account under RCW 3.62.060(2), money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited in the state general fund.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received by the county treasurer under subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited in the county current expense fund. Funds deposited under this subsection that are attributable to the county's portion of a surcharge imposed under RCW 3.62.060(2) must be used to support local trial court and court-related functions.
     (4) Except as provided in RCW 7.84.100(4), all money collected for county parking infractions shall be remitted by the clerk of the district court at least monthly, with the information required under subsection (1) of this section, to the county treasurer for deposit in the county current expense fund.
     (5) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (6) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the state general fund, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the county current expense fund, and twenty-five percent to the county current expense fund to fund local courts.

Sec. 2   RCW 7.84.100 and 2012 c 262 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person found to have committed an infraction shall be assessed a monetary penalty. No penalty may exceed five hundred dollars for each offense unless specifically authorized by statute.
     (2) The supreme court may prescribe by rule a schedule of monetary penalties for designated infractions. The legislature requests the supreme court to adjust this schedule every two years for inflation. The maximum penalty imposed by the schedule shall be five hundred dollars per infraction and the minimum penalty imposed by the schedule shall be ten dollars per infraction. This schedule may be periodically reviewed by the legislature and is subject to its revision.
     (3) Whenever a monetary penalty is imposed by a court under this chapter, it is immediately payable. If the person is unable to pay at that time, the court may, in its discretion, grant an extension of the period in which the penalty may be paid.
     (4) The county treasurer shall remit the money received under RCW 79A.80.080(5) ((to the state treasurer)) as provided in RCW 3.62.020(2) and (3). Money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer must be deposited in the recreation access pass account established under RCW 79A.80.090.