Municipal criminal justice assistance account — Transfers from general fund — Distributions based on crime rate, population, and innovation — Limitations.

RCW 82.14.330
in effect
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(1)(a) Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the state treasurer must transfer into the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section from the general fund the sum of $4,600,000 divided into four equal deposits occurring on July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1. For each fiscal year thereafter, the state treasurer must increase the total transfer by the fiscal growth factor, as defined in RCW 43.135.025 , forecast for that fiscal year by the office of financial management in November of the preceding year. The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section, less any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (4) of this section, must be distributed to the cities of the state as follows: (i) 20 percent appropriated for distribution must be distributed to cities with a three-year average violent crime rate for each 1,000 in population in excess of 150 percent of the statewide three-year average violent crime rate for each 1,000 in population. The three-year average violent crime rate must be calculated using the violent crime rates for each of the preceding three years from the annual reports on crime in Washington state as published by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs. Moneys must be distributed under this subsection (1)(a) ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management, but no city may receive more than one dollar per capita. Moneys remaining undistributed under this subsection at the end of each calendar year must be distributed to the criminal justice training commission to reimburse participating city law enforcement agencies with 10 or fewer full-time commissioned patrol officers the cost of temporary replacement of each officer who is enrolled in basic law enforcement training, as provided in RCW 43.101.200 . (ii) 16 percent must be distributed to cities ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management, but no city may receive less than $1,000. (b) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this subsection (1) must be distributed at such times as distributions are made under *RCW 82.44.150 . (c) Moneys distributed under this subsection (1) must be expended exclusively for criminal justice purposes. Except after May 13, 2021, through December 31, 2023, these funds may not be used to replace or supplant existing funding. Criminal justice purposes are defined as activities that substantially assist the criminal justice system, which may include circumstances where ancillary benefit to the civil justice system occurs, and which includes domestic violence services such as those provided by domestic violence programs, community advocates, and legal advocates, as defined in RCW 70.123.020 . Existing funding for purposes of this subsection is defined as calendar year 1989 actual operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes. Calendar year 1989 actual operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes exclude the following: Expenditures for extraordinary events not likely to reoccur, changes in contract provisions for criminal justice services, beyond the control of the local jurisdiction receiving the services, and major nonrecurring capital expenditures. (2)(a) In addition to the distributions under subsection (1) of this section: (i) 10 percent must be distributed on a per capita basis to cities that contract with another governmental agency for the majority of the city's law enforcement services. Cities that subsequently qualify for this distribution must notify the department of commerce by November 30th for the upcoming calendar year. The department of commerce must provide a list of eligible cities to the state treasurer by December 31st. The state treasurer must modify the distribution of these funds in the following year. Cities have the responsibility to notify the department of commerce of any changes regarding these contractual relationships. Adjustments in the distribution formula to add or delete cities may be made only for the upcoming calendar year; no adjustments may be made retroactively. (ii) The remaining 54 percent must be distributed to cities and towns by the state treasurer on a per capita basis. These funds must be used for: (A) Innovative law enforcement strategies; (B) programs to help at-risk children or child abuse victim response programs; and (C) programs designed to reduce the level of domestic violence or to provide counseling for domestic violence victims. (b) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this subsection (2), less any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (4) of this section, must be distributed at the times as distributions are made under *RCW 82.44.150 . Moneys remaining undistributed under this subsection at the end of each calendar year must be distributed to the criminal justice training commission to reimburse participating city law enforcement agencies with 10 or fewer full-time commissioned patrol officers the cost of temporary replacement of each officer who is enrolled in basic law enforcement training, as provided in RCW 43.101.200 . (c) If a city is found by the state auditor to have expended funds received under this subsection (2) in a manner that does not comply with the criteria under which the moneys were received, the city is ineligible to receive future distributions under this subsection (2) until the use of the moneys are justified to the satisfaction of the director or are repaid to the state general fund. (3) Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the distributions to any city that substantially decriminalizes or repeals its criminal code after July 1, 1990, and that does not reimburse the county for costs associated with criminal cases under RCW 3.50.800 or 3.50.805 (2), must be made to the county in which the city is located. (4) Not more than five percent of the funds deposited to the municipal criminal justice assistance account may be available for appropriations for enhancements to the state patrol crime laboratory system and the continuing costs related to these enhancements. Funds appropriated from this account for such enhancements may not supplant existing funds from the state general fund. (5) During the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium, the amount that would otherwise be transferred into the municipal criminal justice assistance account from the general fund under subsection (1) of this section must be reduced by 3.4 percent. (1)(a) Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the state treasurer must transfer into the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section from the general fund the sum of $4,600,000 divided into four equal deposits occurring on July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1. For each fiscal year thereafter, the state treasurer must increase the total transfer by the fiscal growth factor, as defined in RCW 43.135.025 , forecast for that fiscal year by the office of financial management in November of the preceding year. The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section, less any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (4) of this section, must be distributed to the cities of the state as follows: (i) 20 percent appropriated for distribution must be distributed to cities with a three-year average violent crime rate for each 1,000 in population in excess of 150 percent of the statewide three-year average violent crime rate for each 1,000 in population. The three-year average violent crime rate must be calculated using the violent crime rates for each of the preceding three years from the annual reports on crime in Washington state as published by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs. Moneys must be distributed under this subsection (1)(a) ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management, but no city may receive more than one dollar per capita. Moneys remaining undistributed under this subsection at the end of each calendar year must be distributed to the criminal justice training commission to reimburse participating city law enforcement agencies with 10 or fewer full-time commissioned patrol officers the cost of temporary replacement of each officer who is enrolled in basic law enforcement training, as provided in RCW 43.101.200 . (ii) 16 percent must be distributed to cities ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management, but no city may receive less than $1,000. (b) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this subsection (1) must be distributed at such times as distributions are made under *RCW 82.44.150 . (c) Moneys distributed under this subsection (1) must be expended exclusively for criminal justice purposes. Except after May 13, 2021, through December 31, 2023, these funds may not be used to replace or supplant existing funding. Criminal justice purposes are defined as activities that substantially assist the criminal justice system, which may include circumstances where ancillary benefit to the civil justice system occurs, and which includes domestic violence services such as those provided by domestic violence programs, community advocates, and legal advocates, as defined in RCW 70.123.020 . Existing funding for purposes of this subsection is defined as calendar year 1989 actual operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes. Calendar year 1989 actual operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes exclude the following: Expenditures for extraordinary events not likely to reoccur, changes in contract provisions for criminal justice services, beyond the control of the local jurisdiction receiving the services, and major nonrecurring capital expenditures. (2)(a) In addition to the distributions under subsection (1) of this section: (i) 10 percent must be distributed on a per capita basis to cities that contract with another governmental agency for the majority of the city's law enforcement services. Cities that subsequently qualify for this distribution must notify the department of commerce by November 30th for the upcoming calendar year. The department of commerce must provide a list of eligible cities to the state treasurer by December 31st. The state treasurer must modify the distribution of these funds in the following year. Cities have the responsibility to notify the department of commerce of any changes regarding these contractual relationships. Adjustments in the distribution formula to add or delete cities may be made only for the upcoming calendar year; no adjustments may be made retroactively. (ii) The remaining 54 percent must be distributed to cities and towns by the state treasurer on a per capita basis. These funds must be used for: (A) Innovative law enforcement strategies; (B) programs to help at-risk children or child abuse victim response programs; and (C) programs designed to reduce the level of domestic violence or to provide counseling for domestic violence victims. (b) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this subsection (2), less any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (4) of this section, must be distributed at the times as distributions are made under *RCW 82.44.150 . Moneys remaining undistributed under this subsection at the end of each calendar year must be distributed to the criminal justice training commission to reimburse participating city law enforcement agencies with 10 or fewer full-time commissioned patrol officers the cost of temporary replacement of each officer who is enrolled in basic law enforcement training, as provided in RCW 43.101.200 . (c) If a city is found by the state auditor to have expended funds received under this subsection (2) in a manner that does not comply with the criteria under which the moneys were received, the city is ineligible to receive future distributions under this subsection (2) until the use of the moneys are justified to the satisfaction of the director or are repaid to the state general fund. (3) Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the distributions to any city that substantially decriminalizes or repeals its criminal code after July 1, 1990, and that does not reimburse the county for costs associated with criminal cases under RCW 3.50.800 or 3.50.805 (2), must be made to the county in which the city is located. (4) Not more than five percent of the funds deposited to the municipal criminal justice assistance account may be available for appropriations for enhancements to the state patrol crime laboratory system and the continuing costs related to these enhancements. Funds appropriated from this account for such enhancements may not supplant existing funds from the state general fund. (5) During the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium, the amount that would otherwise be transferred into the municipal criminal justice assistance account from the general fund under subsection (1) of this section must be reduced by 3.4 percent.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=82.14&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026

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