Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 43.385 · 12 active provisions
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Assessment" means the annual fee levied on tourism businesses to fund tourism promotion under this chapter.(2) "Authority" means the Washington tourism marketing authority created in RCW 43.384.020.(3) "Depa…
(1) The legislature authorizes the authority to establish a tourism assessment program, subject to tourism business sector ratification and review of the director.(2) No assessments shall be collected until the referendum process in RCW 43.385.040 is completed and approved by the affected tourism business sector.(3) Th…
(1)(a) The authority shall appoint a ratepayer oversight board.(b) For the initial board, the tourism self-supported assessment advisory group created by section 3, chapter 189, Laws of 2025 shall prepare a list of nominees for appointment to the ratepayer oversight board. All nominees for membership on the ratepayer o…
(1)(a) The budget required by RCW 43.385.030(2) must set forth the complete and detailed financial program of the ratepayer oversight board, showing the revenues and expenditures of the board. The budget must be explanatory, describing how the funding is used to administer and implement the board's programs and priorit…
(1) The ratepayer oversight board shall design and propose to the authority for approval the structure of the assessment program, including:(a) Sector-specific classifications;(b) Assessment methodology and the rates for each business sector;(c) A referendum process for ratification;(d) Opt-out provisions, if applicabl…
(1)(a) Within three years of June 11, 2026, the authority shall conduct a referendum among affected businesses to ratify the proposed assessment program. In the case of a failed ratification, the authority may continue to resubmit the same proposal or a modified proposal beyond the three-year limitation.(b) Each assess…
The authority shall collect assessments annually from participating businesses, to be distributed as follows:(1) Funding equal to the amount provided by the state for activities under this section and RCW 43.385.035 and 43.385.050 shall be deposited into the tourism assessment program reimbursement account created unde…
A due and payable assessment levied in such specified amount as determined by the authority constitutes a personal debt of every person so assessed or who otherwise owes the assessment, and the assessment is due and payable to the authority when payment is called for by the authority. If a person fails to pay the autho…
(1) Financial and commercial information submitted to the authority and the ratepayer oversight board under this chapter is confidential and exempt from public inspection and copying under chapter 42.56 RCW.(2) This section does not apply to general statistical summaries that do not identify individual businesses.
The tourism assessment program reimbursement account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. The account shall receive reimbursements from the authority under RCW 43.385.060. Expenditures from the account may only be used for the implementation and operation of the tourism assessment program, including admini…
Obligations incurred by the authority or ratepayer oversight board and liabilities or claims against the authority or ratepayer oversight board shall be enforced only against the assets of the authority or ratepayer oversight board in the same manner as if it were a corporation and no liability for the debts or actions…
(1) The legislature finds that the history, economy, culture, and future of Washington state are inextricably linked to a vibrant and healthy visitor economy. In order to develop, manage, and promote statewide tourism as part of an existing comprehensive effort to market Washington as a premier travel destination, the…