[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to providing funding for transportation and ferry purposes; amending RCW 43.135.035; adding a new section to chapter 82.32 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 43.79 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 39.42 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 82.32 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The treasurer shall deposit four and fifty-two one-hundredths percent of automobile-related sales and use tax revenue in the multimodal transportation account. The balance of automobile-related sales and use tax revenue shall be deposited in the general fund.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "automobile-related sales and use tax revenue" means:

(a) Revenue from the taxes imposed in RCW 82.08.020(1) and 82.12.020 reported on returns filed by persons engaged in the following businesses: New and used car dealers; automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores; automotive repair services, including body, paint, and interior repair and maintenance, exhaust system repair, glass replacement shops, transmission repair, oil change and lubrication shops, car washes, and other automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance businesses; automobile and other motor vehicle wholesalers, motor vehicle supplies and new part wholesalers, tire and tube wholesalers, and motor vehicle used part wholesalers; and

(b) Revenue from the taxes imposed in RCW 82.08.020(1) and 82.12.020 collected by the department of licensing, county auditors, and subagents for the sale or use of motor vehicles.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.79 RCW to read as follows:

Beginning in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, and each fiscal year thereafter through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, the treasurer shall transfer the sum of twenty million dollars, divided into equal quarterly deposits, from the general fund to the multimodal transportation account for the regional transit authority.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.79 RCW to read as follows:

Beginning in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, and each fiscal year thereafter, the state treasurer shall transfer to the Puget Sound ferry operations account from the general fund the sum of twenty million dollars, divided into equal quarterly deposits. For each fiscal year after the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, the state treasurer shall increase the total transfer by the fiscal growth factor, as defined in RCW 43.135.025, forecast for that fiscal year by the office of financial management in November of the preceding year.

Sec. 4. RCW 43.135.035 and 1994 c 2 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) After July 1, 1995, any action or combination of actions by the legislature that raises state revenue or requires revenue-neutral tax shifts may be taken only if approved by a two-thirds vote of each house, and then only if state expenditures in any fiscal year, including the new revenue, will not exceed the state expenditure limits established under this chapter.

(2)(a) If the legislative action under subsection (1) of this section will result in expenditures in excess of the state expenditure limit, then the action of the legislature shall not take effect until approved by a vote of the people at a November general election. The office of financial management shall adjust the state expenditure limit by the amount of additional revenue approved by the voters under this section. This adjustment shall not exceed the amount of revenue generated by the legislative action during the first full fiscal year in which it is in effect. The state expenditure limit shall be adjusted downward upon expiration or repeal of the legislative action.

(b) The ballot title for any vote of the people required under this section shall be substantially as follows:

"Shall taxes be imposed on . . . . . . . in order to allow a spending increase above last year's authorized spending adjusted for inflation and population increases?"

(3)(a) The state expenditure limit may be exceeded upon declaration of an emergency for a period not to exceed twenty-four months by a law approved by a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature and signed by the governor. The law shall set forth the nature of the emergency, which is limited to natural disasters that require immediate government action to alleviate human suffering and provide humanitarian assistance. The state expenditure limit may be exceeded for no more than twenty-four months following the declaration of the emergency and only for the purposes contained in the emergency declaration.

(b) Additional taxes required for an emergency under this section may be imposed only until thirty days following the next general election, unless an extension is approved at that general election. The additional taxes shall expire upon expiration of the declaration of emergency. The legislature shall not impose additional taxes for emergency purposes under this subsection unless funds in the education construction fund have been exhausted.

(c) The state or any political subdivision of the state shall not impose any tax on intangible property listed in RCW 84.36.070 as that statute exists on January 1, 1993.

(4) If the cost of any state program or function is shifted from the state general fund on or after January 1, 1993, to another source of funding, or if moneys are transferred from the state general fund to another fund or account, the office of financial management shall lower the state expenditure limit to reflect the shift. This subsection does not apply to sections 1 through 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 39.42 RCW to read as follows:

Deposits in the multimodal transportation account under sections 1 and 2 of this act and the Puget Sound ferry operations account under section 3 of this act shall not be deducted from the calculation of general state revenues under RCW 39.42.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. 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, 2000.