(1) 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.

(2) 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 one hundred 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. 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.

(3) Funds in the account resulting from transfers from the general fund must be used to reimburse one hundred percent of eligible costs up to a limit of ten thousand dollars per vehicle for which cost reimbursements are requested.

(4) In each fiscal biennium, beginning in the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium, up to fifteen percent of the expenditures from the account may be used for administrative expenses of the department in implementing this chapter.

Findings—Implementation—Effective date—2018 c 287: See notes following RCW 46.55.400.