Introduced By: Representatives Fox, Slater, Almedia, Carpenter and Shavers
Date Introduced : February 2, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 31-36-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-36 entitled "Motor Fuel Tax" is hereby amended to read as follows:
31-36-20. Disposition of proceeds. -- (a) Notwithstanding
any other provision of law to the contrary, all moneys paid into
the general treasury under the provisions of this chapter or chapter
37 of this title shall be applied to and held in a separate fund
and be deposited in such depositories as may be selected by the
general treasurer to the credit of the fund, which fund shall
be known as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Fund; provided,
however, that for fiscal year beginning July 1, {DEL 1998 DEL}
{ADD 1999 ADD} and thereafter, f {DEL ive cents ($.05) DEL}
{ADD five and one half cents ($0.055) ADD} per gallon of the tax
imposed and accruing for the liability under the provisions of
section 31-36-7, less refunds and credits, shall be transferred
to the Rhode Island public transit authority as provided under
section 39-18-21, and one cent ($.01) per gallon shall be transferred
to the Elderly/Disabled Transportation Program of the department
of elderly affairs, and the remaining cents per gallon shall be
available for general revenue as determined by the following schedule:
{DEL (1) For the fiscal year 1998, seven cents shall be available
for general revenue. DEL}
{DEL (2) For the fiscal year 1999, four and one half cents
shall be available for general revenue. DEL}
{DEL (3) DEL} {ADD (1) ADD} For the fiscal year 2000, three
and one half cents shall be available for general revenue.
{DEL (4) DEL} {ADD (2) ADD} For the fiscal year 2001, two
{DEL and one half DEL} cents shall be available for general
revenue.
{DEL (5) DEL} {ADD (3) ADD} For the fiscal year 2002, one
{DEL and one half cents DEL} {ADD cent ADD} shall be available
for general revenue.
{DEL (6) For the fiscal year 2003, one half cent shall be available
for general revenue. DEL}
{DEL (7) DEL} {ADD (4) ADD} For the fiscal year {DEL 2004 DEL}
{ADD 2003 ADD}, no funding shall be available for general revenue.
All deposits and transfers of funds made by the tax administrator under this section including those to the Rhode Island public transit authority, the department of elderly affairs and the general fund, shall be made within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt or previous deposit of the funds in question.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all other funds in the fund shall be dedicated to the Rhode Island department of transportation, subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly. The director of the department of transportation shall submit to the general assembly, budget office and office of the governor annually an accounting of all amounts deposited in and credited to such fund together with a planned budget for proposed expenditures for the succeeding fiscal year in compliance with sections 35-3-1 and 35-3-4. On order of the director of transportation, the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of such sum of such portion thereof as may be required from time to time upon receipt by him or her of properly authenticated vouchers.
(c) At any time the amount of the fund is insufficient to fund the expenditures of the department of transportation, not to exceed the amount authorized by the general assembly, the general treasurer is authorized from time to time, with the approval of the governor and the director of administration, in anticipation of the receipts of monies enumerated in section 31-36-20 to advance sums to the fund, for the purposes specified in section 31-36-20, any funds of the state not specifically held for any particular purpose, provided, however, that all such advances made to the fund shall be returned to the general fund forthwith upon the receipt by such fund of proceeds resulting from the receipt of monies to the extent of such advances.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
