S-3498.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6332

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Jacobsen, Costa and Oke

Read first time 01/13/2000.  Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Providing funds to support local boating law enforcement programs.

    AN ACT Relating to local boating law enforcement programs; amending RCW 82.49.030; adding a new section to chapter 82.49 RCW; and providing an effective date.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 82.49.030 and 1991 sp.s. c 16 s 925 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The excise tax imposed under this chapter is due and payable to the department of licensing or its agents at the time of registration of a vessel.  The department of licensing shall not issue or renew a registration for a vessel until the tax is paid in full.

    (2) The excise tax collected under this chapter shall be deposited in the general fund and the local boating law enforcement account.  Seventy-five percent shall be deposited in the general fund.  Twenty-five percent shall be deposited into the local boating law enforcement account, not to exceed two million dollars in any fiscal year, with any in excess of two million dollars to be deposited into the general fund.

    (((3) For the 1993‑95 fiscal biennium, the watercraft excise tax revenues exceeding five million dollars in each fiscal year, but not exceeding six million dollars, may, subject to appropriation by the legislature, be used for the purposes specified in RCW 88.12.450.))

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 82.49 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The local boating law enforcement account is created in the state treasury.  Into this account shall be placed a portion of all watercraft excise tax receipts as provided in RCW 82.49.030.  On the first day of the months of January, April, July, and October of each year, the state treasurer shall distribute the funds in the local boating law enforcement account to each county based on the number of registered vessels by county of moorage.

    (2) Funds distributed from the local boating law enforcement account shall be expended by the counties to support the county's boating law enforcement programs.  These funds shall not supplant existing local funds used for boating safety programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act takes effect July 1, 2000.

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