H-4269              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1825

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives D. Sommers, Sprenkle, Ferguson, Chandler, Walker, Patrick, May, Pruitt, Todd and Brooks

Read first time 1/27/88 and referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs.

AN ACT Relating to vehicle battery recycling; and adding a new section to chapter 70.95 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 70.95 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) There is levied and there shall be collected, by the department of revenue from every person engaging in retail sales of new replacement vehicle batteries within the state, an assessment of ten dollars multiplied by the total number of new replacement batteries sold annually.  The applicable provisions of chapter 82.32 RCW have full force and application with respect to taxes imposed under this section.

          (2) The assessment established under subsection (1) of this section shall not be levied if a used battery is exchanged for the new replacement battery at the time of sale.

          (3) No person engaging in retail sales of new replacement batteries may refuse to accept used batteries.  However, a handling and administrative fee, not to exceed an amount prescribed by the department of revenue, may be charged by the retailer.

          (4) Moneys collected under subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited in the state general fund.