BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to public health financing through the county sales and use tax equalization account; amending RCW 70.05.125 and 82.14.200; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 70.05.125 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 15 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The county public health account is created in the state treasury. Funds deposited in the county public health account shall be distributed by the state treasurer to each local public health jurisdiction based upon amounts certified to it by the department of community, trade, and economic development in consultation with the Washington state association of counties. The account shall include funds distributed under RCW 82.44.110 and such funds as are appropriated to the account from the health services account under RCW 43.72.900, the public health services account under RCW 43.72.902, and such other funds as the legislature may appropriate to it.

(2)(a) The director of the department of community, trade, and economic development shall certify the amounts to be distributed to each local public health jurisdiction using 1995 as the base year of actual city contributions to local public health. The county treasurer shall certify the actual 1995 city contribution to the department. Funds in excess of the base shall be distributed proportionately among the health jurisdictions based on incorporated population figures as last determined by the office of financial management.

(b) Only if funds are available and in an amount no greater than available funds under RCW 82.14.200(8), the department of community, trade, and economic development shall adjust the amount certified under (a) of this subsection to provide additional compensation to local health jurisdictions in the following order: (i) To counties in excess of one million in population as well as those counties who had cities that became newly incorporated as a result of an election during calendar year 1994 or 1995, and (ii) the balance to be distributed to all health jurisdictions on a state-wide per capita basis. Funds distributed to counties that had 1994 or 1995 incorporations shall be equal to the amount that otherwise would have been lost to the local health jurisdiction due to the incorporation as calculated using the local health jurisdiction's 1995 funding formula. After June 30, 1999, all funds available under RCW 82.14.200(8) shall be distributed on a state-wide per capita basis.

(3) Moneys distributed under this section shall be expended exclusively for local public health purposes.

Sec. 2. RCW 82.14.200 and 1991 sp.s. c 13 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:

There is created in the state treasury a special account to be known as the "county sales and use tax equalization account." Into this account shall be placed a portion of all motor vehicle excise tax receipts as provided in RCW 82.44.110(1)(f). Funds in this account shall be allocated by the state treasurer according to the following procedure:

(1) Prior to April 1st of each year the director of revenue shall inform the state treasurer of the total and the per capita levels of revenues for the unincorporated area of each county and the state-wide weighted average per capita level of revenues for the unincorporated areas of all counties imposing the sales and use tax authorized under RCW 82.14.030(1) for the previous calendar year.

(2) At such times as distributions are made under RCW 82.44.150, as now or hereafter amended, the state treasurer shall apportion to each county imposing the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.030(1) at the maximum rate and receiving less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars from the tax for the previous calendar year, an amount from the county sales and use tax equalization account sufficient, when added to the amount of revenues received the previous calendar year by the county, to equal one hundred fifty thousand dollars.

The department of revenue shall establish a governmental price index as provided in this subsection. The base year for the index shall be the end of the third quarter of 1982. Prior to November 1, 1983, and prior to each November 1st thereafter, the department of revenue shall establish another index figure for the third quarter of that year. The department of revenue may use the implicit price deflators for state and local government purchases of goods and services calculated by the United States department of commerce to establish the governmental price index. Beginning on January 1, 1984, and each January 1st thereafter, the one hundred fifty thousand dollar base figure in this subsection shall be adjusted in direct proportion to the percentage change in the governmental price index from 1982 until the year before the adjustment. Distributions made under this subsection for 1984 and thereafter shall use this adjusted base amount figure.

(3) Subsequent to the distributions under subsection (2) of this section and at such times as distributions are made under RCW 82.44.150, as now or hereafter amended, the state treasurer shall apportion to each county imposing the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.030(1) at the maximum rate and receiving less than seventy percent of the state-wide weighted average per capita level of revenues for the unincorporated areas of all counties as determined by the department of revenue under subsection (1) of this section, an amount from the county sales and use tax equalization account sufficient, when added to the per capita level of revenues for the unincorporated area received the previous calendar year by the county, to equal seventy percent of the state-wide weighted average per capita level of revenues for the unincorporated areas of all counties determined under subsection (1) of this section, subject to reduction under subsections (6) and (7) of this section. When computing distributions under this section, any distribution under subsection (2) of this section shall be considered revenues received from the tax imposed under RCW 82.14.030(1) for the previous calendar year.

(4) Subsequent to the distributions under subsection (3) of this section and at such times as distributions are made under RCW 82.44.150, as now or hereafter amended, the state treasurer shall apportion to each county imposing the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.030(2) at the maximum rate and receiving a distribution under subsection (2) of this section, a third distribution from the county sales and use tax equalization account. The distribution to each qualifying county shall be equal to the distribution to the county under subsection (2) of this section, subject to the reduction under subsections (6) and (7) of this section. To qualify for the total distribution under this subsection, the county must impose the tax under RCW 82.14.030(2) for the entire calendar year. Counties imposing the tax for less than the full year shall qualify for prorated allocations under this subsection proportionate to the number of months of the year during which the tax is imposed.

(5) Subsequent to the distributions under subsection (4) of this section and at such times as distributions are made under RCW 82.44.150, as now or hereafter amended, the state treasurer shall apportion to each county imposing the sales and use tax under RCW 82.14.030(2) at the maximum rate and receiving a distribution under subsection (3) of this section, a fourth distribution from the county sales and use tax equalization account. The distribution to each qualifying county shall be equal to the distribution to the county under subsection (3) of this section, subject to the reduction under subsections (6) and (7) of this section. To qualify for the distributions under this subsection, the county must impose the tax under RCW 82.14.030(2) for the entire calendar year. Counties imposing the tax for less than the full year shall qualify for prorated allocations under this subsection proportionate to the number of months of the year during which the tax is imposed.

(6) Revenues distributed under this section in any calendar year shall not exceed an amount equal to seventy percent of the state-wide weighted average per capita level of revenues for the unincorporated areas of all counties during the previous calendar year. If distributions under subsections (3) through (5) of this section cannot be made because of this limitation, then distributions under subsections (3) through (5) of this section shall be reduced ratably among the qualifying counties.

(7) If inadequate revenues exist in the county sales and use tax equalization account to make the distributions under subsections (3) through (5) of this section, then the distributions under subsections (3) through (5) of this section shall be reduced ratably among the qualifying counties. At such time during the year as additional funds accrue to the county sales and use tax equalization account, additional distributions shall be made under subsections (3) through (5) of this section to the counties.

(8) ((If the level of revenues in the county sales and use tax equalization account exceeds the amount necessary to make the distributions under subsections (2) through (5) of this section, then the additional revenues shall be credited and transferred to the state general fund)) If the level of revenues in the county sales and use tax equalization account exceeds the amount necessary to make the distributions under subsections (2) through (5) of this section, at such times as distributions are made under RCW 82.44.150, the state treasurer shall distribute the balance remaining to the county public health account created in RCW 70.05.125 for the purposes of the adjustments under RCW 70.05.125(2)(b).

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 1997.