S-189                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3221

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators Owen, McManus, Bender and Peterson

Read first time 1/22/85 and referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities.

AN ACT Relating to reduced utility rates for certain low income persons; and amending RCW 74.38.070.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 116, Laws of 1979 as amended by section 1, chapter 160, Laws of 1980 and RCW 74.38.070 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any county, city, town, municipal corporation, or quasi municipal corporation providing utility services may provide such services at reduced rates for low income senior citizens, low income disabled veterans, and low income blind or disabled citizens:  PROVIDED, That, for the purposes of this section, "low income senior citizen," "low income disabled veteran," and "low income blind or disabled citizen" shall be defined by appropriate ordinance or resolution adopted by the governing body of the county, city, town, municipal corporation, or quasi municipal corporation providing the utility services except as provided in subsection (2) of this section.  Any reduction in rates granted in whatever manner to low income senior citizens, low income disabled veterans, and low income blind or disabled citizens in one part of a service area shall be uniformly extended to low income senior citizens, low income disabled veterans, and low income blind or disabled citizens in all other parts of the service area.

          (2) For purposes of implementing this section by any public utility district((,)):

(a) "Low income senior citizen" means a person who is sixty-two years of age or older and whose total income, including that of his or her spouse or cotenant, does not exceed the amount specified in RCW 84.36.381(5)(b)((, as now or hereafter amended));

(b) "Low income disabled veteran" means any person whose total income including that of his or her spouse or cotenant does not exceed the amount specified in RCW 84.36.381(5)(b), who is a veteran as defined under RCW 41.04.005 with a service-connected disability rating from the veterans administration and:  (i) Has lost the use of both hands or one foot; (ii) was captured and incarcerated for more than twenty-nine days by an enemy of the United States during a period of war with the United States; (iii) has become blind in both eyes as the result of military service; or (iv) is rated by the veterans administration and is receiving service-connected compensation at the one hundred percent rate that is expected to exist for more than one year; and

(c) "Low income blind or disabled citizen" means any person who is a recipient of social security income as provided under Public Laws 92-603 and 93-66 and whose total income including that of his or her spouse or cotenant does not exceed the amount specified in RCW 84.36.381(5)(b).