FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1053

                         C 269 L 99

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Simplifying the transportation funding statutes.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation (Originally sponsored by Representatives Fisher, K. Schmidt, Hatfield, Radcliff, O'Brien, Tokuda, Hurst, Skinner and Hankins; by request of Legislative Transportation Committee).

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:

The Washington motor fuel tax rate of 23 cents per gallon is contained in the RCW as three different rates of 17 cents, 1 cent, and 5 cents.  The distributions for the 17 cent, 1 cent, and 5 cent rates are found in different sections of the RCW.  The distribution for the 17 cents are based on percentages, while the distributions for the 1 cent and 5 cent rates are based on pennies.  The combination of different rates and distributions based on  percentages and pennies makes the fuel tax statutes difficult to work with.

Summary:

The three motor fuel tax rates are collapsed into one rate of 23 cents.  The fuel tax distributions are placed in one section of the code and based on a percentage, while maintaining revenue neutrality.

The motor fuel tax distributions to the small city account and the city hardship assistance account are eliminated and both of their distributions are placed into the urban arterial trust account.

Finally, old sections in the RCW that are no longer necessary for paying off debt service are repealed.

Votes on Final Passage:

     House  95 0

Senate 38 7 (Senate amended)

House(House refused to concur)

Senate410(Senate receded)

Effective:July 1, 1999