(1) The Washington auto theft prevention authority account is created in the state treasury, subject to appropriation. All revenues from the traffic infraction surcharge in RCW 46.63.110(7)(b) and all receipts from gifts, grants, bequests, devises, or other funds from public and private sources to support the activities of the auto theft prevention authority must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for activities relating to motor vehicle theft, including education, prevention, law enforcement, investigation, prosecution, and confinement. During the 2011-2013, 2013-2015, and 2015-2017 fiscal biennia, the legislature may appropriate moneys from the Washington auto theft prevention authority account for criminal justice purposes and community building and may transfer funds to the state general fund such amounts as reflect the excess fund balance of the account.

(2) The authority shall allocate moneys appropriated from the account to public agencies for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and supporting programs that are designed to prevent motor vehicle theft, including:

(a) Financial support to prosecution agencies to increase the effectiveness of motor vehicle theft prosecution;

(b) Financial support to a unit of local government or a team consisting of units of local governments to increase the effectiveness of motor vehicle theft enforcement;

(c) Financial support for the procurement of equipment and technologies for use by law enforcement agencies for the purpose of enforcing motor vehicle theft laws; and

(d) Financial support for programs that are designed to educate and assist the public in the prevention of motor vehicle theft.

(3) The costs of administration shall not exceed ten percent of the moneys in the account in any one year so that the greatest possible portion of the moneys available to the authority is expended on combating motor vehicle theft.

(4) Prior to awarding any moneys from the Washington auto theft prevention authority account for motor vehicle theft enforcement, the auto theft prevention authority must verify that the financial award includes sufficient funding to cover proposed activities, which include, but are not limited to: (a) State, municipal, and county offender and juvenile confinement costs; (b) administration costs; (c) law enforcement costs; (d) prosecutor costs; and (e) court costs, with a priority being given to ensuring that sufficient funding is available to cover state, municipal, and county offender and juvenile confinement costs.

(5) Moneys expended from the Washington auto theft prevention authority account under subsection (2) of this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other moneys that are available for motor vehicle theft prevention.

(6) Grants provided under subsection (2) of this section constitute reimbursement for purposes of RCW 43.135.060(1).

[2015 3rd sp.s. c 4 § 964; 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4 § 985; 2011 1st sp.s. c 50 § 958; 2011 c 5 § 915; 2009 c 564 § 945; 2007 c 199 § 27.]

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