To provide for permanent funding of the Washington hardwoods commission, agricultural commodity assessments shall be levied by the commission on processors of hardwoods.

An assessment is hereby levied on hardwood processors operating within the state of Washington. The assessment shall be based on the hardwood processor's production per calendar quarter. The assessment shall be four cents per ton produced.

The commission may develop by rule formulas for converting other units of measure to tons of production for determining the appropriate production per calendar quarter. The assessment shall be calculated based upon calendar quarters. Beginning July 1, 2019, and every July 1st thereafter, the assessment must be adjusted to reflect the percentage change in the implicit price deflator for personal consumption expenditures for the United States as published for the most recent twelve-month period by the bureau of economic analysis of the federal department of commerce by September 25th of the year before the assessments are payable.

Effective date—2018 c 71: "This act takes effect July 1, 2018." [ 2018 c 71 s 2.]