SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 2330

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                Ways & Means, February 23, 2000

Title:  An act relating to disbursements from the liquor revolving fund.

Brief Description:  Allowing liquor revolving fund disbursements to the death investigations account.

Sponsors:  Representatives McMorris and Scott.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Ways & Means:  2/23/2000 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Honeyford, Kohl-Welles, Long, McDonald, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli.

Staff:  Bryon Moore (786-7726)

Background:  The State Toxicology Laboratory performs all necessary toxicological procedures requested by coroners, medical examiners, and prosecuting attorneys.  Legislation enacted during the 1999 session transferred the toxicology lab function from the University of Washington Medical School to the Washington State Patrol.

A portion of the funding for the toxicology lab comes from the liquor revolving fund.  Each biennium, the Treasurer transfers $300,000 from the liquor revolving fund to the Washington State Patrol for the toxicology lab.  However, the legislation that transferred the lab to the Washington State Patrol did not specify into which account these liquor revolving fund moneys are to be deposited.  As a result, the moneys are not directed into an account from which the Washington State Patrol is authorized to make expenditures.

The death investigations account is an appropriated account that funds various programs, including the Washington State Patrol's toxicology lab.

Summary of Bill:  The biennial transfers to the Washington State Patrol from the liquor revolving fund for the state toxicology lab are deposited into the death investigations account.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The bill simply fixes a technical issue with the transfer of the State Toxicology Laboratory from last year.  It is funding already dedicated for this purpose.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Martha Reed, Mason County Coroner; Eric Robertson, Washington State Patrol.