BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to interest on delinquent payment of regulatory fees imposed by the utilities and transportation commission; amending RCW 80.24.010, 81.70.350, 81.80.321, and 81.108.090; and adding a new section to chapter 81.24 RCW.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 80.24.010 and 1990 c 48 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

Every public service company subject to regulation by the commission shall, on or before the date specified by the commission for filing annual reports under RCW 80.04.080, file with the commission a statement on oath showing its gross operating revenue from intrastate operations for the preceding calendar year or portion thereof and pay to the commission a fee equal to one-tenth of one percent of the first fifty thousand dollars of gross operating revenue, plus two-tenths of one percent of any gross operating revenue in excess of fifty thousand dollars: PROVIDED, That the fee shall in no case be less than one dollar.

The percentage rates of gross operating revenue to be paid in any year may be decreased by the commission for any class of companies subject to the payment of such fees, by general order entered before March 1st of such year, and for such purpose such companies shall be classified as follows:

Electrical, gas, water, telecommunications, and irrigation companies shall constitute class one. Every other company subject to regulation by the commission, for which regulatory fees are not otherwise fixed by law shall pay fees as herein provided and shall constitute additional classes according to kinds of businesses engaged in.

Any payment of the fee imposed by this section made after its due date shall include a late fee of two percent of the amount due. Delinquent fees shall accrue interest at the rate of one percent per month.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 81.24 RCW to read as follows:

Any payment of a fee imposed by this chapter made after its due date shall include a late fee of two percent of the amount due. Delinquent fees shall accrue interest at the rate of one percent per month.

Sec. 3. RCW 81.70.350 and 1989 c 163 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The commission shall collect from each charter party carrier and excursion service carrier holding a certificate issued pursuant to this chapter and from each interstate or foreign carrier subject to this chapter an annual regulatory fee, to be established by the commission but which in total shall not exceed the cost of supervising and regulating such carriers, for each bus used by such carrier.

(2) All fees prescribed by this section shall be due and payable on or before December 31 of each year, to cover the ensuing year beginning February 1.

(3) Any payment of the fee imposed by this section made after its due date shall include a late fee of two percent of the amount due. Delinquent fees shall accrue interest at the rate of one percent per month.

Sec. 4. RCW 81.80.321 and 1993 c 97 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to all other fees to be paid, a common carrier and contract carrier shall pay a regulatory fee of no more than 0.0025 of its gross income from intrastate operations for the previous calendar year, or such other period as the commission designates by rule. The carrier shall pay the fee no later than four months after the end of the appropriate period and shall include with the payment such information as the commission requires by rule.

The legislature intends that the fees collected under this chapter shall reasonably approximate the cost of supervising and regulating motor carriers subject to this chapter, and to that end the commission may by general order decrease fees provided in this section if it determines that the moneys then in the motor carrier account of the public service revolving fund and the fees currently to be paid will exceed the reasonable cost of supervising and regulating carriers.

All fees collected under any other provision of this chapter must be paid to the commission. The commission shall transmit the fees to the state treasurer within thirty days for deposit to the credit of the public service revolving fund.

Sec. 5. RCW 81.108.090 and 1991 c 272 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A site operator shall, on or before May 1, 1992, and each year thereafter, file with the commission a statement showing its gross operating revenue from intrastate operations for the preceding calendar year, or portion thereof, and pay to the commission a fee equal to one percent of the amount of the gross operating revenue, exclusive of site surveillance fees, perpetual care and maintenance fees, site closure fees, and state or federally imposed out-of-region surcharges.

(2) Fees collected under this chapter shall reasonably approximate the cost of supervising and regulating site operators. The commission may order a decrease in fees by March 1st of any year in which it determines that the moneys then in the radioactive waste disposal companies account of the public service revolving fund and the fees currently to be paid will exceed the reasonable cost of supervising and regulating site operators.

(3) Fees collected under this section or under any other provision of this chapter shall be paid to the commission and shall be transmitted to the state treasurer within thirty days to be deposited to the credit of the public service revolving fund.

(4) Any payment of a fee imposed by this chapter made after its due date shall include a late fee of two percent of the amount due. Delinquent fees shall accrue interest at the rate of one percent per month.