BILL REQ. #:  S-4881.1 

Read first time 01/30/08.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to prioritizing existing funding for special safety corridor projects; amending RCW 82.08.020; adding a new section to chapter 46.68 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 82.08.020 and 2006 c 1 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There is levied and there shall be collected a tax on each retail sale in this state equal to six and five-tenths percent of the selling price.
     (2) There is levied and there shall be collected an additional tax on each retail car rental, regardless of whether the vehicle is licensed in this state, equal to five and nine-tenths percent of the selling price. The revenue collected under this subsection shall be deposited as follows:
     (a) Seventy percent in the multimodal transportation account created in RCW 47.66.070; and
     (b) Thirty percent in the special safety corridor account created in section 2 of this act.
     (3) Beginning July 1, 2003, there is levied and collected an additional tax of three-tenths of one percent of the selling price on each retail sale of a motor vehicle in this state, other than retail car rentals taxed under subsection (2) of this section. The revenue collected under this subsection shall be deposited in the multimodal transportation account created in RCW 47.66.070.
     (4) For purposes of subsection (3) of this section, "motor vehicle" has the meaning provided in RCW 46.04.320, but does not include farm tractors or farm vehicles as defined in RCW 46.04.180 and 46.04.181, off-road and nonhighway vehicles as defined in RCW 46.09.020, and snowmobiles as defined in RCW 46.10.010.
     (5) Beginning on December 8, 2005, 0.16 percent of the taxes collected under subsection (1) of this section shall be dedicated to funding comprehensive performance audits required under RCW 43.09.470. The revenue identified in this subsection shall be deposited in the performance audits of government account created in RCW 43.09.475.
     (6) The taxes imposed under this chapter shall apply to successive retail sales of the same property.
     (7) The rates provided in this section apply to taxes imposed under chapter 82.12 RCW as provided in RCW 82.12.020.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 46.68 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The special safety corridor account is created in the motor vehicle fund. Thirty percent of the receipts from taxes collected under RCW 82.08.020(2)(b) on retail car rentals must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used for special safety corridor projects. Special safety corridor projects are projects that may require bond financing to complete construction and safety improvements. The following criteria shall be used in determining which special safety corridor projects have the highest priority:
     (a) Fatal accident experience;
     (b) Historic underfunding of safety improvements;
     (c) Ability to leverage additional nonstate revenue sources;
     (d) Contribute to the economic development of the corridor; and
     (e) Provide additional capacity to move people and goods safely.
     (2) The following projects, listed in order of priority, are eligible for special safety corridor account funding:
     (a) State route number 2 beginning near the junction with state route number 9 at milepost 5 to King county line at Stevens Pass near milepost 64;
     (b) State route number 97 beginning at milepost 0 to milepost 63; and
     (c) State route number 20 beginning near Sedro Woolley at milepost 64 to near Newport at milepost 436.
     Moneys deposited in the special safety corridor account may be used for payment of debt service on bonds the proceeds of which are used to finance special safety corridor projects under this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   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 immediately.