wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > SB 5844 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that the improper disposal of recreational vehicles can threaten the environment with the potential release of hazardous materials. The legislature finds it is in the state's best interest to help remove and dispose of recreational vehicles that are unwanted and no longer in use. As a result, it is the intent of the legislature to provide financial assistance to counties when individual owners wish to responsibly dispose of their dilapidated recreational vehicles at county facilities.
The department must establish a voluntary grant program providing funding to counties to administer a dilapidated recreational vehicle disposal program. The purposes of the program are to incentivize recreational vehicle owners to dispose of such vehicles within their county when such vehicle is unwanted and no longer planned for use and to provide financial assistance to counties that scrap or recycle such vehicles at appropriate facilities.
Awarded funds under the program must be expended for:
Scrapping and recycling purposes including, but not limited to, capital costs related to scrapping and recycling purposes; and
Reimbursing the dilapidated recreational vehicle owner for the full or partial cost of towing and hauling the dilapidated recreational vehicle to the county for disposal.
A participating county must require the dilapidated recreational vehicle owner to prove ownership or provide title when disposing of such vehicle.
The department must submit an annual report to the appropriate committees of the legislature beginning January 1, 2025, on the number of counties awarded grants under the program and the number of dilapidated recreational vehicles disposed of and at what cost under the program.
For purposes of this section:
"Department" means the department of ecology.
"Dilapidated recreational vehicle" means any camper, motor home, or travel trailer under chapter 46.04 RCW that is:
At least three years old; and
Unwanted and no longer planned for use by the owner.
The department may adopt rules to implement this section.
There is hereby created in the motor vehicle fund the RV account. All moneys hereafter deposited in said account shall be used by the department of transportation for the construction, maintenance, and operation of recreational vehicle sanitary disposal systems at safety rest areas in accordance with the department's highway system plan as prescribed in chapter 47.06 RCW, and by the department of ecology for the purposes of section 2 of this act. During the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 fiscal biennia, the legislature may transfer from the RV account to the motor vehicle fund such amounts as reflect the excess fund balance of the RV account to accomplish the purposes identified in this section.
The abandoned recreational vehicle disposal account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the fee imposed in RCW 46.17.380 must be deposited into the account. The account may receive fund transfers and appropriations from the general fund, as well as gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of chapter 287, Laws of 2018 and expend any income according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments, provided that those terms do not conflict with any provisions of this section or any guidelines developed to prioritize reimbursement of removal projects associated with chapter 287, Laws of 2018.
Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only by the department to reimburse registered tow truck operators and licensed dismantlers for up to 100 percent of the total reasonable and auditable administrative costs for transport, dismantling, and disposal of abandoned recreational vehicles under RCW 46.53.010 when the last registered owner is unknown after a reasonable search effort. Compliance with RCW 46.55.100 is considered a reasonable effort to locate the last registered owner of the abandoned recreational vehicle, and by the department of ecology for the purposes of section 2 of this act. Any funds received by the registered tow truck operators or licensed dismantlers through collection efforts from the last owner of record shall be turned over to the department for vehicles reimbursed under RCW 46.53.010.
Funds in the account resulting from transfers from the general fund must be used to reimburse 100 percent of eligible costs up to a limit of $10,000 per vehicle for which cost reimbursements are requested.
In each fiscal biennium, beginning in the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium, up to 15 percent of the expenditures from the account may be used for administrative expenses of the department in implementing this chapter.
The sum of $2,500,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2025, from the RV account to the department of ecology for the purposes of this act.
The sum of $2,500,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2025, from the abandoned recreational vehicle disposal account to the department of ecology for the purposes of this act.