HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6740

As Passed House:

March 5, 2002

Title:  An act relating to irrigation districts' acceptance of methods of payment.

Brief Description:  Authorizing irrigation districts to accept various methods of payment.

Sponsors:  By Senators Rasmussen, Swecker, Shin and Parlette.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Agriculture & Ecology:  2/25/02, 2/26/02 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/5/02, 97-0.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Allows treasurers selected by irrigation districts, not just the county treasurer acting as the district's treasurer, to accept payments by credit card and other electronic means.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Linville, Chair; Hunt, Vice Chair; Schoesler, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Delvin, Grant, Holmquist, Kirby, Quall, Roach and Sump.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786‑7105).

Background:

The county treasurer of the county in which the office of an irrigation district is located is the ex officio treasurer of the district.  However, within certain limitations, an irrigation district may choose some other person with experience in financial or fiscal matters as the treasurer of the district. 

A county treasurer may accept credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, smart cards or other electronic communication for any payment due the county.  A person desiring to pay taxes or payments related to taxes by electronic means bears the cost of processing the transaction in an amount determined by the treasurer.  The treasurer's determination must be based on the costs incurred by the treasurer and may not exceed the additional direct costs incurred by the county to accept the specific form of payment used by the payer.

The legislative authority of a county may allow payments without a processing charge for specific categories of payments not related to taxes.

Summary of Bill:

Irrigation districts that have designated their own treasurers may accept credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, smart cards, other electronic communication for any payment due the districts.  A payer desiring to pay district assessments or payments related to the assessments by electronic means bears the cost of processing the transaction in an amount determined by the treasurer.  The treasurer's determination must be based on the costs incurred by the treasurer and may not exceed the additional direct costs incurred by the district to accept the specific form of payment used by the payer.

The district's board of directors may allow payments without a processing charge for specific categories of non‑assessment payments.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  Irrigation districts that provide water to suburban customers have been asked by those customers if they can pay their district bills with credit cards or other electronic means, as they pay other county and city bills.  This bill would allow districts to accept this kind of payment.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Senator Rasmussen, prime sponsor; and Mike Schwisow, Washington Water Resources Association.