AN ACT Relating to the taxation of certain rented property owned by nonprofit fair associations; amending RCW 84.36.480, 82.29A.020, 82.29A.030, and 82.29A.040; reenacting and amending RCW 82.29A.020; creating new sections; providing effective dates; and providing an expiration date.

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

(2) The legislature categorizes this tax preference as intended to accomplish a general purpose not identified in RCW 82.32.808(2) (a) through (e).

(3) It is the legislature's specific public policy objective to support nonprofit fairs that obtained a majority of their property from a city or county between 1995 and 1998. The legislature intends to make their property tax exemption permanent, while requiring the collection of leasehold excise tax on any rentals of their exempt property that exceed fifty consecutive days. Because the legislature intends for the changes in this act to be permanent, they are exempt from the ten-year expiration provision in RCW 82.32.805(1)(a).

Sec. 2.  RCW 84.36.480 and 2013 c 212 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided otherwise in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the real and personal property of a nonprofit fair association that sponsors or conducts a fair or fairs that is eligible to receive support from the fair fund, as created in RCW 15.76.115 and allocated by the director of the department of agriculture, is exempt from taxation. To be exempt under this subsection (1), the property must be used exclusively for fair purposes, except as provided in RCW 84.36.805. However, the loan or rental of property otherwise exempt under this section to a private concessionaire or to any person for use as a concession in conjunction with activities permitted under this section shall not nullify the exemption if the concession charges are subject to agreement and the rental income, if any, is reasonable and is devoted solely to the operation and maintenance of the property.

(2)(a) Except as provided otherwise in this subsection and subsection (3) of this section, the real and personal property owned by a nonprofit fair association organized under chapter 24.06 RCW and used for fair purposes is exempt from taxation if the majority of such property, as determined by assessed value, was purchased or acquired by the same nonprofit fair association from a county or a city between 1995 and 1998.

(b) ((The exemption under this subsection (2) may not be claimed for taxes levied for collection in 2019 and thereafter.)) The use of exempt property for rental purposes does not negate the exemption under this subsection. However, any rental exceeding fifty consecutive days during any calendar year is subject to leasehold excise tax under chapter 82.29A RCW, unless the property is subject to property taxes pursuant to (b) of this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, "rental" means a lease, permit, license, or any other agreement granting possession and use, to a degree less than fee simple ownership, between the nonprofit fair association and a person who would not be exempt from property taxes if that person owned the property in fee.

(3) A nonprofit fair association with real and personal property having an assessed value of more than fifteen million dollars is not eligible for the exemptions under this section.

Sec. 3.  RCW 82.29A.020 and 2014 c 207 s 3 and 2014 c 140 s 26 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context requires otherwise.

(1)(a) "Leasehold interest" means an interest in publicly owned, or specified privately owned, real or personal property which exists by virtue of any lease, permit, license, or any other agreement, written or verbal, between the ((public)) owner of the property and a person who would not be exempt from property taxes if that person owned the property in fee, granting possession and use, to a degree less than fee simple ownership. However, no interest in personal property (excluding land or buildings) which is owned by the United States, whether or not as trustee, or by any foreign government may constitute a leasehold interest hereunder when the right to use such property is granted pursuant to a contract solely for the manufacture or production of articles for sale to the United States or any foreign government. The term "leasehold interest" includes the rights of use or occupancy by others of property which is owned in fee or held in trust by a public corporation, commission, or authority created under RCW 35.21.730 or 35.21.660 if the property is listed on or is within a district listed on any federal or state register of historical sites.

(b) The term "leasehold interest" does not include:

(i) Road or utility easements, rights of access, occupancy, or use granted solely for the purpose of removing materials or products purchased from ((a public)) an owner or the lessee of ((a public)) an owner, or rights of access, occupancy, or use granted solely for the purpose of natural energy resource exploration; or

(ii) The preferential use of publicly owned cargo cranes and docks and associated areas used in the loading and discharging of cargo located at a port district marine facility. "Preferential use" means that publicly owned real or personal property is used by a private party under a written agreement with the public owner, but the public owner or any third party maintains a right to use the property when not being used by the private party.

(2)(a) "Taxable rent" means contract rent as defined in (c) of this subsection in all cases where the lease or agreement has been established or renegotiated through competitive bidding, or negotiated or renegotiated in accordance with statutory requirements regarding the rent payable, or negotiated or renegotiated under circumstances, established by public record, clearly showing that the contract rent was the maximum attainable by the lessor. With respect to a leasehold interest in privately owned property, "taxable rent" means contract rent. However, after January 1, 1986, with respect to any lease which has been in effect for ten years or more without renegotiation, taxable rent may be established by procedures set forth in (g) of this subsection. All other leasehold interests are subject to the determination of taxable rent under the terms of (g) of this subsection.

(b) For purposes of determining leasehold excise tax on any lands on the Hanford reservation subleased to a private or public entity by the department of ecology, taxable rent includes only the annual cash rental payment made by such entity to the department of ecology as specifically referred to as rent in the sublease agreement between the parties and does not include any other fees, assessments, or charges imposed on or collected by such entity irrespective of whether the private or public entity pays or collects such other fees, assessments, or charges as specified in the sublease agreement.

(c) "Contract rent" means the amount of consideration due as payment for a leasehold interest, including: The total of cash payments made to the lessor or to another party for the benefit of the lessor according to the requirements of the lease or agreement, including any rents paid by a sublessee; expenditures for the protection of the lessor's interest when required by the terms of the lease or agreement; and expenditures for improvements to the property to the extent that such improvements become the property of the lessor. Where the consideration conveyed for the leasehold interest is made in combination with payment for concession or other rights granted by the lessor, only that portion of such payment which represents consideration for the leasehold interest is part of contract rent.

(d) "Contract rent" does not include: (i) Expenditures made by the lessee, which under the terms of the lease or agreement, are to be reimbursed by the lessor to the lessee or expenditures for improvements and protection made pursuant to a lease or an agreement which requires that the use of the improved property be open to the general public and that no profit will inure to the lessee from the lease; (ii) expenditures made by the lessee for the replacement or repair of facilities due to fire or other casualty including payments for insurance to provide reimbursement for losses or payments to a public or private entity for protection of such property from damage or loss or for alterations or additions made necessary by an action of government taken after the date of the execution of the lease or agreement; (iii) improvements added to publicly owned property by a sublessee under an agreement executed prior to January 1, 1976, which have been taxed as personal property of the sublessee prior to January 1, 1976, or improvements made by a sublessee of the same lessee under a similar agreement executed prior to January 1, 1976, and such improvements are taxable to the sublessee as personal property; (iv) improvements added to publicly owned property if such improvements are being taxed as personal property to any person.

(e) Any prepaid contract rent is considered to have been paid in the year due and not in the year actually paid with respect to prepayment for a period of more than one year. Expenditures for improvements with a useful life of more than one year which are included as part of contract rent must be treated as prepaid contract rent and prorated over the useful life of the improvement or the remaining term of the lease or agreement if the useful life is in excess of the remaining term of the lease or agreement. Rent prepaid prior to January 1, 1976, must be prorated from the date of prepayment.

(f) With respect to a "product lease", the value is that value determined at the time of sale under terms of the lease.

(g) If it is determined by the department of revenue, upon examination of a lessee's accounts or those of a lessor of publicly owned property, that a lessee is occupying or using publicly owned property in such a manner as to create a leasehold interest and that such leasehold interest has not been established through competitive bidding, or negotiated in accordance with statutory requirements regarding the rent payable, or negotiated under circumstances, established by public record, clearly showing that the contract rent was the maximum attainable by the lessor, the department may establish a taxable rent computation for use in determining the tax payable under authority granted in this chapter based upon the following criteria: (i) Consideration must be given to rental being paid to other lessors by lessees of similar property for similar purposes over similar periods of time; (ii) consideration must be given to what would be considered a fair rate of return on the market value of the property leased less reasonable deductions for any restrictions on use, special operating requirements or provisions for concurrent use by the lessor, another person or the general public.

(3) "Product lease" as used in this chapter means a lease of property for use in the production of agricultural or marine products, not including the production of marijuana as defined in RCW 69.50.101, to the extent that such lease provides for the contract rent to be paid by the delivery of a stated percentage of the production of such agricultural or marine products to the credit of the lessor or the payment to the lessor of a stated percentage of the proceeds from the sale of such products.

(4) "Renegotiated" means a change in the lease agreement which changes the agreed time of possession, restrictions on use, the rate of the cash rental or of any other consideration payable by the lessee to or for the benefit of the lessor, other than any such change required by the terms of the lease or agreement. In addition "renegotiated" means a continuation of possession by the lessee beyond the date when, under the terms of the lease agreement, the lessee had the right to vacate the premises without any further liability to the lessor.

(5) "City" means any city or town.

(6) "Products" includes natural resource products such as cut or picked evergreen foliage, Cascara bark, wild edible mushrooms, native ornamental trees and shrubs, ore and minerals, natural gas, geothermal water and steam, and forage removed through the grazing of livestock.

Sec. 4.  RCW 82.29A.020 and 2014 c 140 s 26 are each amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context requires otherwise.

(1)(a) "Leasehold interest" means an interest in publicly owned, or specified privately owned, real or personal property which exists by virtue of any lease, permit, license, or any other agreement, written or verbal, between the ((public)) owner of the property and a person who would not be exempt from property taxes if that person owned the property in fee, granting possession and use, to a degree less than fee simple ownership. However, no interest in personal property (excluding land or buildings) which is owned by the United States, whether or not as trustee, or by any foreign government may constitute a leasehold interest hereunder when the right to use such property is granted pursuant to a contract solely for the manufacture or production of articles for sale to the United States or any foreign government. The term "leasehold interest" includes the rights of use or occupancy by others of property which is owned in fee or held in trust by a public corporation, commission, or authority created under RCW 35.21.730 or 35.21.660 if the property is listed on or is within a district listed on any federal or state register of historical sites.

(b) The term "leasehold interest" does not include:

(i) Road or utility easements, rights of access, occupancy, or use granted solely for the purpose of removing materials or products purchased from ((a public)) an owner or the lessee of ((a public)) an owner, or rights of access, occupancy, or use granted solely for the purpose of natural energy resource exploration((. "Leasehold interest" does not include)); or

(ii) The preferential use of publicly owned cargo cranes and docks and associated areas used in the loading and discharging of cargo located at a port district marine facility. "Preferential use" means that publicly owned real or personal property is used by a private party under a written agreement with the public owner, but the public owner or any third party maintains a right to use the property when not being used by the private party.

(2)(a) "Taxable rent" means contract rent as defined in (c) of this subsection in all cases where the lease or agreement has been established or renegotiated through competitive bidding, or negotiated or renegotiated in accordance with statutory requirements regarding the rent payable, or negotiated or renegotiated under circumstances, established by public record, clearly showing that the contract rent was the maximum attainable by the lessor. With respect to a leasehold interest in privately owned property, "taxable rent" means contract rent. However, after January 1, 1986, with respect to any lease which has been in effect for ten years or more without renegotiation, taxable rent may be established by procedures set forth in (g) of this subsection. All other leasehold interests are subject to the determination of taxable rent under the terms of (g) of this subsection.

(b) For purposes of determining leasehold excise tax on any lands on the Hanford reservation subleased to a private or public entity by the department of ecology, taxable rent includes only the annual cash rental payment made by such entity to the department of ecology as specifically referred to as rent in the sublease agreement between the parties and does not include any other fees, assessments, or charges imposed on or collected by such entity irrespective of whether the private or public entity pays or collects such other fees, assessments, or charges as specified in the sublease agreement.

(c) "Contract rent" means the amount of consideration due as payment for a leasehold interest, including: The total of cash payments made to the lessor or to another party for the benefit of the lessor according to the requirements of the lease or agreement, including any rents paid by a sublessee; expenditures for the protection of the lessor's interest when required by the terms of the lease or agreement; and expenditures for improvements to the property to the extent that such improvements become the property of the lessor. Where the consideration conveyed for the leasehold interest is made in combination with payment for concession or other rights granted by the lessor, only that portion of such payment which represents consideration for the leasehold interest is part of contract rent.

(d) "Contract rent" does not include: (i) Expenditures made by the lessee, which under the terms of the lease or agreement, are to be reimbursed by the lessor to the lessee or expenditures for improvements and protection made pursuant to a lease or an agreement which requires that the use of the improved property be open to the general public and that no profit will inure to the lessee from the lease; (ii) expenditures made by the lessee for the replacement or repair of facilities due to fire or other casualty including payments for insurance to provide reimbursement for losses or payments to a public or private entity for protection of such property from damage or loss or for alterations or additions made necessary by an action of government taken after the date of the execution of the lease or agreement; (iii) improvements added to publicly owned property by a sublessee under an agreement executed prior to January 1, 1976, which have been taxed as personal property of the sublessee prior to January 1, 1976, or improvements made by a sublessee of the same lessee under a similar agreement executed prior to January 1, 1976, and such improvements are taxable to the sublessee as personal property; (iv) improvements added to publicly owned property if such improvements are being taxed as personal property to any person.

(e) Any prepaid contract rent is considered to have been paid in the year due and not in the year actually paid with respect to prepayment for a period of more than one year. Expenditures for improvements with a useful life of more than one year which are included as part of contract rent must be treated as prepaid contract rent and prorated over the useful life of the improvement or the remaining term of the lease or agreement if the useful life is in excess of the remaining term of the lease or agreement. Rent prepaid prior to January 1, 1976, must be prorated from the date of prepayment.

(f) With respect to a "product lease", the value is that value determined at the time of sale under terms of the lease.

(g) If it is determined by the department of revenue, upon examination of a lessee's accounts or those of a lessor of publicly owned property, that a lessee is occupying or using publicly owned property in such a manner as to create a leasehold interest and that such leasehold interest has not been established through competitive bidding, or negotiated in accordance with statutory requirements regarding the rent payable, or negotiated under circumstances, established by public record, clearly showing that the contract rent was the maximum attainable by the lessor, the department may establish a taxable rent computation for use in determining the tax payable under authority granted in this chapter based upon the following criteria: (i) Consideration must be given to rental being paid to other lessors by lessees of similar property for similar purposes over similar periods of time; (ii) consideration must be given to what would be considered a fair rate of return on the market value of the property leased less reasonable deductions for any restrictions on use, special operating requirements or provisions for concurrent use by the lessor, another person or the general public.

(3) "Product lease" as used in this chapter means a lease of property for use in the production of agricultural or marine products, not including the production of marijuana as defined in RCW 69.50.101, to the extent that such lease provides for the contract rent to be paid by the delivery of a stated percentage of the production of such agricultural or marine products to the credit of the lessor or the payment to the lessor of a stated percentage of the proceeds from the sale of such products.

(4) "Renegotiated" means a change in the lease agreement which changes the agreed time of possession, restrictions on use, the rate of the cash rental or of any other consideration payable by the lessee to or for the benefit of the lessor, other than any such change required by the terms of the lease or agreement. In addition "renegotiated" means a continuation of possession by the lessee beyond the date when, under the terms of the lease agreement, the lessee had the right to vacate the premises without any further liability to the lessor.

(5) "City" means any city or town.

(6) "Products" includes natural resource products such as cut or picked evergreen foliage, Cascara bark, wild edible mushrooms, native ornamental trees and shrubs, ore and minerals, natural gas, geothermal water and steam, and forage removed through the grazing of livestock.

Sec. 5.  RCW 82.29A.030 and 2010 c 281 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(((a))) There is levied and collected a leasehold excise tax on the act or privilege of occupying or using publicly owned, or specified privately owned, real or personal property ((or real or personal property of a community center)) through a leasehold interest on and after January 1, 1976, at a rate of twelve percent of taxable rent. However, after the computation of the tax a credit is allowed for any tax collected pursuant to RCW 82.29A.040.

(2) An additional tax is imposed equal to the rate specified in RCW 82.02.030 multiplied by the tax payable under subsection (1) of this section.

Sec. 6.  RCW 82.29A.040 and 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 61 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislative body of any county or city is hereby authorized to levy and collect a leasehold excise tax on the act or privilege of occupying or using publicly owned, or specified privately owned, real or personal property through a leasehold interest in publicly owned property within the territorial limits of such county or city. The tax levied by a county under authority of this section shall not exceed six percent and the tax levied by a city shall not exceed four percent of taxable rent((: PROVIDED, That)). However, any county ordinance levying such tax shall contain a provision allowing a credit against the county tax for the full amount of any city tax imposed upon the same taxable event.

(2) The department of revenue shall perform the collection of such taxes on behalf of such county or city.

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