Municipal criminal justice assistance account — Transfers from general fund — Distributions criteria and formula — Limitations.
RCW 82.14.320
in effect(1) The municipal criminal justice assistance account is created in the state treasury. 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. (2) No city may receive a distribution under this section from the municipal criminal justice assistance account unless: (a) The city has a crime rate in excess of 125 percent of the statewide average as calculated in the most recent annual report on crime in Washington state as published by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs; (b) The city has levied the tax authorized in RCW 82.14.030 (2) at the maximum rate or the tax authorized in RCW 82.46.010 (3) at the maximum rate; and (c) The city has a per capita yield from the tax imposed under RCW 82.14.030 (1) at the maximum rate of less than 150 percent of the statewide average per capita yield for all cities from such local sales and use tax. (3) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section, less any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (7) of this section, must be distributed at such times as distributions are made under *RCW 82.44.150 . The distributions must be made as follows: (a) Unless reduced by this subsection, 30 percent of the moneys must be distributed ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management to those cities eligible under subsection (2) of this section that have a crime rate determined under subsection (2)(a) of this section which is greater than 175 percent of the statewide average crime rate. No city may receive more than 50 percent of any moneys distributed under this subsection [(3)](a) but, if a city distribution is reduced as a result of exceeding the 50 percent limitation, the amount not distributed must be distributed under (b) of this subsection. (b) The remainder of the moneys, including any moneys not distributed in subsection (2)(a) of this section, must be distributed to all cities eligible under subsection (2) of this section ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management. (4) No city may receive more than 30 percent of all moneys distributed under subsection (3) of this section. (5) 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. (6) Moneys distributed under this section 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 , and publications and public educational efforts designed to provide information and assistance to parents in dealing with runaway or at-risk youth. 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. (7) 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. (8) 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) The municipal criminal justice assistance account is created in the state treasury. 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.
(2) No city may receive a distribution under this section from the municipal criminal justice assistance account unless:
(a) The city has a crime rate in excess of 125 percent of the statewide average as calculated in the most recent annual report on crime in Washington state as published by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs;
(b) The city has levied the tax authorized in RCW 82.14.030 (2) at the maximum rate or the tax authorized in RCW 82.46.010 (3) at the maximum rate; and
(c) The city has a per capita yield from the tax imposed under RCW 82.14.030 (1) at the maximum rate of less than 150 percent of the statewide average per capita yield for all cities from such local sales and use tax.
(3) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice assistance account for distribution under this section, less any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (7) of this section, must be distributed at such times as distributions are made under *RCW 82.44.150 . The distributions must be made as follows:
(a) Unless reduced by this subsection, 30 percent of the moneys must be distributed ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management to those cities eligible under subsection (2) of this section that have a crime rate determined under subsection (2)(a) of this section which is greater than 175 percent of the statewide average crime rate. No city may receive more than 50 percent of any moneys distributed under this subsection [(3)](a) but, if a city distribution is reduced as a result of exceeding the 50 percent limitation, the amount not distributed must be distributed under (b) of this subsection.
(b) The remainder of the moneys, including any moneys not distributed in subsection (2)(a) of this section, must be distributed to all cities eligible under subsection (2) of this section ratably based on population as last determined by the office of financial management.
(4) No city may receive more than 30 percent of all moneys distributed under subsection (3) of this section.
(5) 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.
(6) Moneys distributed under this section 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 , and publications and public educational efforts designed to provide information and assistance to parents in dealing with runaway or at-risk youth. 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.
(7) 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.
(8) 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