2019 Regular Session

BySenators Frockt, Saldaña, Wellman, and Wilson, C.

Read first time 02/07/19.Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

AN ACT Relating to enhancing educational opportunities for vulnerable children and youth using funding distributed from the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account; and amending RCW 43.79.520.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 43.79.520 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 44 s 423 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) The Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may only be used for distribution to counties where a portion of the county is within the boundaries of a regional transit authority that includes a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand or more. Counties may use distributions from the account only ((for educational services)) to improve educational outcomes in early learning, K-12, and higher education including, but not limited to, for ((youths))facilities and programs for children and youth that are low-income, homeless, or in foster care, or other vulnerable populations; and for the purposes in subsections (2) and (3) of this section. Counties receiving distributions under this section must track all expenditures and uses of the funds. To the greatest extent practicable, the expenditures of the counties must follow the requirements of any transportation subarea equity element used by the regional transit authority.

(2) Counties may pledge and use distributions under this section to pay debt service on county bonds if the proceeds from such bonds are used for facilities or program costs authorized under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Counties may use distributions under this section to start endowments to provide support for improving educational outcomes in early learning, K-12, and higher education.

(4) Beginning September 1, 2017, and by the last day of September, December, March, and June of each year thereafter, the state treasurer ((shall))must distribute moneys deposited in the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account to counties for which a portion of the county is within the boundaries of a regional transit authority that includes a county with a population of one million five hundred thousand. The treasurer must make the distribution to the counties on the relative basis of that transit authority's population that lives within the respective counties.