FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1584

                         C 105 L 99

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing unincorporated territory adjacent to a fire protection district to be annexed.

Sponsors:  Representatives Hurst, Mulliken, Scott, Stensen and O'Brien.

House Committee on Local Government

Senate Committee on State & Local Government

Background:

Fire protection districts are created to provide fire prevention, fire suppression and emergency medical services within a districts' boundaries.  Fire protection districts are governed by a board of commissioners consisting of either three or five members.

Fire protection districts serve residents outside of cities or towns, except when cities and towns have been annexed into a fire protection district or when the district continues to provide service to a newly incorporated area.  The districts finance their activities and facilities by imposing regular property taxes, excess voter-approved property tax levies, and benefit charges. 

A fire protection district may annex territory under various methods.  For property contiguous to the fire protection district and not within the boundaries of any city, town or other fire protection district, a district may use the election method.  An annexation process commences with a petition to the district signed by 15 percent of the qualified registered voters residing within the territory proposed for annexation.  If the fire protection district commissioners concur, the petition is submitted to the county legislative authority or boundary review board and, if approved, to the voters of the territory proposed for annexation at a special election.

Summary:

For unincorporated property annexed according to the election method, the type of property subject to fire protection district annexation is changed.  A fire protection district may annex territory under this method if that property is adjacent to the district and not within any city, town or other fire protection district by the statutory procedures.

Votes on Final Passage:

House960

Senate430

Effective:July 25, 1999