State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/28/05.
AN ACT Relating to problem gambling; amending RCW 43.20A.890, 67.70.240, 82.04.350, 82.04.290, and 9.46.071; adding a new section to chapter 43.20A RCW; adding new sections to chapter 82.04 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature finds that:
(a) The costs to society of problem and pathological gambling
include family disintegration, criminal activity, and financial
insolvencies;
(b) Problem and pathological gamblers suffer a higher incidence of
addictive disorders such as alcohol and substance abuse;
(c) Residents of Washington have the opportunity to participate in
a variety of legal gambling activities operated by the state, by
federally recognized tribes, and by private businesses and nonprofit
organizations; and
(d) A 1999 study found that five percent of adult Washington
residents and eight percent of adolescents could be classified as
problem gamblers during their lifetimes, and that more than one percent
of adults have been afflicted with pathological gambling.
(2) The legislature intends to provide long-term, dedicated funding
for public awareness and education regarding problem and pathological
gambling, training in its identification and treatment, and treatment
services for problem and pathological gamblers and, as clinically
appropriate, members of their families.
Sec. 2 RCW 43.20A.890 and 2002 c 349 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) A program for (a) the prevention and treatment of
((pathological)) problem and pathological gambling; and (b) the
training of professionals in the identification and treatment of
problem and pathological gambling is established within the department
of social and health services, to be administered by a qualified person
who has training and experience in ((handling pathological)) problem
gambling ((problems)) or the organization and administration of
treatment services for persons suffering from ((pathological)) problem
gambling ((problems)). The department may contract for any services
provided under the program. The department shall track program
participation and client outcomes.
(2) To receive treatment under subsection (1) of this section, a
person must:
(a) Need treatment for ((pathological)) problem or pathological
gambling, or because of the problem or pathological gambling of a
family member, but be unable to afford treatment; and
(b) Be targeted by the department of social and health services as
((to be)) being most amenable to treatment.
(3) Treatment under this section is ((limited to)) available only
to the extent of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to
the department of social and health services for this purpose. The
department may solicit and accept for use any gift of money or property
made by will or otherwise, and any grant of money, services, or
property from the federal government, any tribal government, the state,
or any political subdivision thereof or any private source, and do all
things necessary to cooperate with the federal government or any of its
agencies or any tribal government in making an application for any
grant.
(4) The department of social and health services shall ((report to
the legislature by September 1, 2002, with a plan for implementing this
section)) establish an advisory committee to assist it in designing,
managing, and evaluating the effectiveness of the program established
in this section. The committee shall include, at a minimum, persons
knowledgeable in the field of problem and pathological gambling and
persons representing tribal gambling, privately owned nontribal
gambling, and the state lottery.
(5) ((The department of social and health services shall report to
the legislature by November 1, 2003, on program participation and
client outcomes.)) For purposes of this section, "pathological
gambling" is a mental disorder characterized by loss of control over
gambling, progression in preoccupation with gambling and in obtaining
money to gamble, and continuation of gambling despite adverse
consequences. "Problem gambling" is an earlier stage of pathological
gambling which compromises, disrupts, or damages family or personal
relationships or vocational pursuits.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW
to read as follows:
The problem gambling account is created in the state treasury.
Money in the account may be spent only after appropriation.
Expenditures from the account may be used only for the purposes of the
program established under RCW 43.20A.890.
Sec. 4 RCW 67.70.240 and 2001 c 3 s 4 are each amended to read as
follows:
The moneys in the state lottery account shall be used only:
(1) For the payment of prizes to the holders of winning lottery
tickets or shares;
(2) For purposes of making deposits into the reserve account
created by RCW 67.70.250 and into the lottery administrative account
created by RCW 67.70.260;
(3) For purposes of making deposits into the education construction
fund and student achievement fund created in RCW 43.135.045. For the
transition period from July 1, 2001, until and including June 30, 2002,
fifty percent of the moneys not otherwise obligated under this section
shall be placed in the student achievement fund and fifty percent of
these moneys shall be placed in the education construction fund. On
and after July 1, 2002, until June 30, 2004, seventy-five percent of
these moneys shall be placed in the student achievement fund and
twenty-five percent shall be placed in the education construction fund.
On and after July 1, 2004, all deposits not otherwise obligated under
this section shall be placed in the education construction fund.
Moneys in the state lottery account deposited in the education
construction fund and the student achievement fund are included in
"general state revenues" under RCW 39.42.070;
(4)(a) For distribution to a county for the purpose of paying the
principal and interest payments on bonds issued by the county to
construct a baseball stadium, as defined in RCW 82.14.0485, including
reasonably necessary preconstruction costs, and in fiscal year 2006 and
thereafter, for the purposes of making deposits to the problem gambling
account created in section 3 of this act. Three million dollars shall
be ((distributed)) allocated for distribution under this subsection
during calendar year 1996. During subsequent years, such
((distributions)) allocations shall equal the prior year's
((distributions)) allocation increased by four percent. The amount
allocated following the cessation of distributions under (b) of this
subsection shall be the amount of deposit determined in (c) of this
subsection;
(b) Distributions to the county specified in (a) of this subsection
shall be made from the amount allocated under (a) of this subsection
after first making the deposit under (c) of this subsection.
Distributions under this subsection (4)(b) shall cease when the bonds
issued for the construction of the baseball stadium are retired, but
not more than twenty years after the tax under RCW 82.14.0485 is first
imposed;
(c) Except as provided in (d) of this subsection, in fiscal year
2006 and thereafter a portion of the moneys allocated in (a) of this
subsection shall be deposited to the problem gambling account created
in section 3 of this act. The amount for deposit is equal to the
percentage of net receipts specified in this subsection. For purposes
of this subsection, "net receipts" means the difference between (i)
revenue received from the sale of lottery tickets or shares and
revenues received from the sale of shared game lottery tickets or
shares; and (ii) the sum of payments made to winners. In fiscal year
2006, the percentage is one-tenth of one percent. In fiscal year 2007
and subsequent years, the percentage is thirteen one-hundredths of one
percent;
(d) Moneys from the amounts allocated in (a) of this subsection may
not be deposited to the problem gambling account in any fiscal year in
which moneys dedicated to the debt service of a baseball stadium, as
defined in RCW 82.14.0485, are insufficient to pay the debt service;
(5) For distribution to the stadium and exhibition center account,
created in RCW 43.99N.060. Subject to the conditions of RCW
43.99N.070, six million dollars shall be distributed under this
subsection during the calendar year 1998. During subsequent years,
such distribution shall equal the prior year's distributions increased
by four percent. No distribution may be made under this subsection
after December 31, 1999, unless the conditions for issuance of the
bonds under RCW 43.99N.020(2) are met. Distributions under this
subsection shall cease when the bonds are retired, but not later than
December 31, 2020;
(6) For the purchase and promotion of lottery games and game-related services; and
(7) For the payment of agent compensation.
The office of financial management shall require the allotment of
all expenses paid from the account and shall report to the ways and
means committees of the senate and house of representatives any changes
in the allotments.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 82.04 RCW,
to be codified between RCW 82.04.220 and 82.04.310, to read as follows:
(1) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of
operating contests of chance; as to such persons, the amount of tax
with respect to the business of operating contests of chance is equal
to the gross income of the business derived from contests of chance
multiplied by the rate of 1.5 percent.
(2) An additional tax is imposed on those persons subject to tax in
subsection (1) of this section. The amount of the additional tax with
respect to the business of operating contests of chance is equal to the
gross income of the business derived from contests of chance multiplied
by the rate of 0.1 percent through June 30, 2006, and 0.13 percent
thereafter. The money collected under this subsection (2) shall be
deposited in the problem gambling account created in section 3 of this
act.
(3) For the purpose of this section, "contests of chance" means any
contests, games, gaming schemes, or gaming devices, other than the
state lottery as defined in RCW 67.70.010, in which the outcome depends
in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that
skill of the contestants may also be a factor in the outcome. The term
includes social card games, bingo, raffle, and punchboard games, and
pull-tabs as defined in chapter 9.46 RCW. The term does not include
race meets for the conduct of which a license must be secured from the
Washington horse racing commission, or "amusement game" as defined in
RCW 9.46.0201.
(4) "Gross income of the business" does not include the monetary
value or actual cost of any prizes that are awarded, amounts paid to
players for winning wagers, accrual of prizes for progressive jackpot
contests, or repayment of amounts used to seed guaranteed progressive
jackpot prizes.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 82.04 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of
conducting race meets for the conduct of which a license must be
secured from the Washington horse racing commission; as to such
persons, the amount of tax with respect to the business of parimutuel
wagering is equal to the gross income of the business derived from
parimutuel wagering multiplied by the rate of 0.1 percent through June
30, 2006, and 0.13 percent thereafter. The money collected under this
section shall be deposited in the problem gambling account created in
section 3 of this act.
(2) If the persons described in subsection (1) of this section
receive income from sources other than those described in subsection
(1) of this section or provide services other than those named in
subsection (1) of this section, that income and those services are
subject to tax as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(3) For purposes of this section, "gross income of the business"
does not include amounts paid to players for winning wagers.
(4) The tax imposed under this section is in addition to any tax
imposed under chapter 67.16 RCW.
Sec. 7 RCW 82.04.350 and 1961 c 15 s 82.04.350 are each amended
to read as follows:
Except as provided in section 6(1) of this act, this chapter shall
not apply to any person in respect to the business of conducting race
meets for the conduct of which a license must be secured from the horse
racing commission.
Sec. 8 RCW 82.04.290 and 2004 c 174 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of
providing international investment management services, as to such
persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal
to the gross income or gross proceeds of sales of the business
multiplied by a rate of 0.275 percent.
(2) Upon every person engaging within this state in any business
activity other than or in addition to ((those enumerated in RCW
82.04.230, 82.04.240, 82.04.250, 82.04.255, 82.04.260, 82.04.270,
82.04.298, 82.04.2905, 82.04.280, 82.04.2907, 82.04.272, 82.04.2906,
and 82.04.2908, and)) an activity taxed explicitly under another
section in this chapter or subsection (1) of this section; as to such
persons the amount of tax on account of such activities shall be equal
to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 1.5
percent.
(3) Subsection (2) of this section includes, among others, and
without limiting the scope hereof (whether or not title to materials
used in the performance of such business passes to another by
accession, confusion or other than by outright sale), persons engaged
in the business of rendering any type of service which does not
constitute a "sale at retail" or a "sale at wholesale." The value of
advertising, demonstration, and promotional supplies and materials
furnished to an agent by his principal or supplier to be used for
informational, educational and promotional purposes shall not be
considered a part of the agent's remuneration or commission and shall
not be subject to taxation under this section.
Sec. 9 RCW 9.46.071 and 2003 c 75 s 1 are each amended to read as
follows:
(1) The legislature recognizes that some individuals in this state
are problem or ((compulsive)) pathological gamblers. Because the state
promotes and regulates gambling through the activities of the state
lottery commission, the Washington horse racing commission, and the
Washington state gambling commission, the state has the responsibility
to continue to provide resources for the support of services for
problem and ((compulsive)) pathological gamblers. Therefore, ((at a
minimum,)) the Washington state gambling commission, the Washington
horse racing commission, and the state lottery commission shall jointly
develop informational signs concerning problem and ((compulsive))
pathological gambling which include a toll-free hot line number for
problem and ((compulsive)) pathological gamblers. The signs shall be
placed in the establishments of gambling licensees, horse racing
licensees, and lottery retailers. In addition, the Washington state
gambling commission, the Washington horse racing commission, and the
state lottery commission may also contract with other qualified
entities to provide public awareness, training, and other services to
ensure the intent of this section is fulfilled.
(2)(a) During any period in which section 5(2) of this act is in
effect, the commission may not increase fees payable by licensees under
its jurisdiction for the purpose of funding services for problem and
pathological gambling. Any fee imposed or increased by the commission,
for the purpose of funding these services, before the effective date of
this section shall have no force and effect after the effective date of
this section.
(b) During any period in which section 5(2) of this act is not in
effect:
(i) The commission, the Washington state horse racing commission,
and the state lottery commission may contract for services, in addition
to those authorized in subsection (1) of this section, to assist in
providing for treatment of problem and pathological gambling; and
(ii) The commission may increase fees payable by licenses under its
jurisdiction for the purpose of funding the services authorized in this
section for problem and pathological gamblers.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11 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, 2005.