(1)(a) For taxes collected by the county under this chapter, the county treasurer shall collect a five-dollar fee on all transactions required by this chapter where the transaction does not require the payment of tax. A total of five dollars shall be collected in the form of a tax and fee, where the calculated tax payment is less than five dollars. Through June 30, 2006, the county treasurer shall place one percent of the taxes collected by the county under this chapter and the treasurer's fee in the county current expense fund to defray costs of collection. After June 30, 2006, the county treasurer shall place one and three-tenths percent of the taxes collected by the county under this chapter and the treasurer's fee in the county current expense fund to defray costs of collection. For taxes collected by the county under this chapter before July 1, 2006, the county treasurer shall pay over to the state treasurer and account to the department of revenue for the proceeds at the same time the county treasurer remits funds to the state under RCW 84.56.280. For taxes collected by the county under this chapter after June 30, 2006, on a monthly basis the county treasurer shall pay over to the state treasurer the month's transmittal. The month's transmittal must be received by the state treasurer by 12:00 p.m. on the last working day of each month. The county treasurer shall account to the department for the month's transmittal by the twentieth day of the month following the month in which the month's transmittal was paid over to the state treasurer. The state treasurer shall deposit the proceeds in the general fund.

     (b) For purposes of this subsection, the definitions in this subsection apply.

     (i) "Close of business" means the time when the county treasurer makes his or her daily deposit of proceeds.

     (ii) "Month's transmittal" means all proceeds deposited by the county through the close of business of the day that is two working days before the last working day of the month. This definition of "month's transmittal" shall not be construed as requiring any change in a county's practices regarding the timing of its daily deposits of proceeds.

     (iii) "Proceeds" means moneys collected and receipted by the county from the taxes imposed by this chapter, less the county's share of the proceeds used to defray the county's costs of collection allowable in (a) of this subsection.

     (iv) "Working day" means a calendar day, except Saturdays, Sundays, and all legal holidays as provided in RCW 1.16.050.

     (2) For taxes collected by the department of revenue under this chapter, the department shall remit the tax to the state treasurer who shall deposit the proceeds of any state tax in the general fund. The state treasurer shall deposit the proceeds of any local taxes imposed under chapter 82.46 RCW in the local real estate excise tax account hereby created in the state treasury. Moneys in the local real estate excise tax account may be spent only for distribution to counties, cities, and towns imposing a tax under chapter 82.46 RCW. Except as provided in RCW 43.08.190, all earnings of investments of balances in the local real estate excise tax account shall be credited to the local real estate excise tax account and distributed to the counties, cities, and towns monthly. Monthly the state treasurer shall make distribution from the local real estate excise tax account to the counties, cities, and towns the amount of tax collected on behalf of each taxing authority. The state treasurer shall make the distribution under this subsection without appropriation.

     (3)(a) The real estate excise tax electronic technology account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. An appropriation is not required for expenditures and the account is not subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW.

     (b) Through June 30, 2010, the county treasurer shall collect an additional five-dollar fee on all transactions required by this chapter, regardless of whether the transaction requires the payment of tax. The county treasurer shall remit this fee to the state treasurer at the same time the county treasurer remits funds to the state under subsection (1) of this section. The state treasurer shall place money from this fee in the real estate excise tax electronic technology account. By the twentieth day of the subsequent month, the state treasurer shall distribute to each county treasurer according to the following formula: Three-quarters of the funds available shall be equally distributed among the thirty-nine counties; and the balance shall be ratably distributed among the counties in direct proportion to their population as it relates to the total state's population based on most recent statistics by the office of financial management.

     (c) When received by the county treasurer, the funds shall be placed in a special real estate excise tax electronic technology fund held by the county treasurer to be used exclusively for the development, implementation, and maintenance of an electronic processing and reporting system for real estate excise tax affidavits. Funds may be expended to make the system compatible with the automated real estate excise tax system developed by the department and compatible with the processes used in the offices of the county assessor and county auditor. Any funds held in the account that are not expended by July 1, 2015, revert to the county capital improvements fund in accordance with RCW 82.46.010.

[2006 c 312 § 1. Prior: 2005 c 486 § 2; 2005 c 480 § 2; 1998 c 106 § 11; 1993 sp.s. c 25 § 510; 1991 c 245 § 15; 1982 c 176 § 2; 1981 c 167 § 3; 1980 c 154 § 6.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- Severability -- 2006 c 312: See notes following RCW 82.45.210.

     Purpose -- 2005 c 486: "Over the past decade, traditional school construction funding sources, such as timber revenues, have been declining, while the demand for school facility construction and improvements have been increasing. Washington's youth deserve safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments to help meet their educational needs. To increase state assistance for local school construction projects, the legislature expects to rely more on state bonding authority. The purpose of this act is to expand the constitutional definition of general state revenues by removing the dedication of a portion of the real estate excise tax for common schools. Nothing in this act is intended to affect the state's current efforts to support common schools in the state's omnibus appropriations act." [2005 c 486 § 1.]

     Intent -- Findings -- Effective date -- 2005 c 480: See notes following RCW 82.45.210.

     Severability -- Effective dates -- Part headings, captions not law -- 1993 sp.s. c 25: See notes following RCW 82.04.230.

     Findings -- Intent -- 1993 sp.s. c 25: See note following RCW 82.45.010.

     Audits, assessments, and refunds -- 1982 c 176: See note following chapter digest.

     Effective date -- 1981 c 167: See note following RCW 82.45.150.

     Purpose -- Effective dates -- Savings -- Disposition of certain funds -- Severability -- 1980 c 154: See notes following chapter digest.