HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2571

As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to authorizing port districts to pay claims or other obligations by check or warrant.

Brief Description:  Authorizing port districts to pay claims or other obligations by check or warrant.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Dunshee, Crouse, Dunn, Schmidt and Kirby.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Local Government & Housing:  2/4/02 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/12/02, 97-0.

Passed Senate:  3/6/02, 46-0.

Passed Legislature.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Authorizes port districts to pay claims or other obligations by warrant or check.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT & HOUSING

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Dunshee, Chair; Edwards, Vice Chair; Mulliken, Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Crouse, DeBolt, Dunn, Hatfield, Kirby, Mielke and Sullivan.

Staff:  Amy Wood (786‑7127).

Background:

The treasurer of the county in which a port district is located is considered the district port treasurer, unless the commission of a port district is authorized to designate its own treasurer.  The commission of a port district is authorized to designate its own treasurer if the port has received annual gross operating revenues of $100,000 or more for the last three years, or if the port was previously authorized by the county treasurer.

The county treasurer is required to be the treasurer of a port which has not met the above requirement.

A port commission is authorized, at its option, to issue warrants prior to the receipt of taxes raised by levy, in anticipation of revenues, to pay claims or other obligations.  Such warrants are required to be redeemed from the first revenues available once the taxes are collected.

Summary of Bill:

A port district that acts as its own treasurer may, by resolution, adopt a policy for the payment of claims or other obligations by warrant or by check.  A check may only be issued when the applicable fund is solvent, otherwise, a warrant must be written.  The port commission shall designate the bank where checks are to be drawn, and the officers authorized to sign the checks.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  Payment of port district claims and other obligations is carefully audited.  This bill would allow port districts that act as their own treasurer to have safer and less expensive means to pay claims and other obligations.  Banks are currently phasing away from the warrant system, and this bill would allow port districts to move ahead as well.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified:  Craig Kerr, Port of Seattle; and Pat Jones, Washington Public Ports Association.