BILL REQ. #: H-4066.1
| State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/07/12. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
AN ACT Relating to strengthening the review of the legislature's goals for tax preferences by requiring that every new tax preference provide a statement of legislative intent; adding a new section to chapter 43.135 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that the tax code of
Washington state includes tax preferences enacted to achieve a variety
of policy goals for the public interest. To measure the effectiveness
of a specific tax preference in meeting these goals, the legislature
has adopted processes and accountability measures, including such
requirements as a tax exemption study in RCW 43.06.400, review by the
citizen commission for performance measurement of tax preferences in
chapter 43.136 RCW, and taxpayer reporting in chapter 82.32 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 43.135 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) For any bill introduced in either the house of representatives
or the senate that adopts a new tax preference or expands or extends an
existing tax preference, the bill must include legislative intent
provisions, establishing the policy goals and any related metrics that
might provide context and/or data for purposes of reviewing the
preference under chapter 43.136 RCW.
(2)(a) Any bill that is enacted without the legislative intent
provisions required by subsection (1) of this section does not take
effect.
(b) Prior to the date on which a bill would take effect, but for
the failure of such bill to meet the requirements of subsection (1) of
this section:
(i) The joint legislative audit and review committee must provide
written notice to the department of revenue of the bill's failure to
meet the requirements of subsection (1) of this section; and
(ii) The department of revenue, after receiving written notice from
the joint legislative audit and review committee under this subsection,
must provide written notice that such bill did not take effect to
affected parties, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the
secretary of the senate, the office of the code reviser, and others as
deemed appropriate by the department.
(3) For purposes of this section, "tax preference" has the same
meaning as in RCW 43.136.021.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 This act takes effect July 1, 2012.