HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1393

BYHouse Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Cantwell, Miller, P. King, Cole, Betrozoff, Rust and Sprenkle)

Revising provisions for park and recreation service areas.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Beck, Butterfield, Dorn, Ferguson, Hine, Jones, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley and Rayburn.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 9, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Park and recreation service areas are special districts authorized to operate park and recreation facilities.  The governing body of a park and recreation service district is the county legislative authority of the county within which the service district is located.

Voters of a park and recreation service district may approve both single-year excess property tax levies for general purposes and multi-year excess property tax levies to redeem general obligation bonds issued for capital purposes only.  Voters of a park and recreation service area additionally may authorize the service area to impose regular property tax levies of up to fifteen cents per $1000 of assessed valuation for a six-year period for general purposes, if the ballot proposition providing for such taxes is approved by at least a sixty percent margin, and where the number of voters voting on the proposition is at least equal to forty percent of the total number of voters within the service area who voted at the last general election.

A park and recreation service area can operate park facilities owned by the county within which it is located if authorized by the county.  A park and recreation service area can operate park facilities owned by a city or town located within its boundaries if authorized by the city or town.

SUMMARY:

Park and recreation service areas are authorized specifically to possess many of the functions that courts ascribe to governmental entities, including the authority to own property, hire staff, enter into contracts, accept gifts, and to sue and be sued.

Language is altered concerning the county legislative authority of the county within which a park and recreation district is located being the governing body of the service area, to clarify that the members of the county legislative authority, acting ex-officio and independently, constitute the governing body.

Park and recreation service areas are authorized to impose fees for the use of facilities they operate.

Park and recreation service areas are authorized to exercise the powers of eminent domain.

Park and recreation service areas are authorized to act cooperatively with other governments in providing recreational facilities.

Park and recreation service areas are authorized to contract with the county to administer its purchasing.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Ron Main and Cynthia Foster, King County Council; and Representative Cantwell, Prime Sponsor.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This grants to park and recreation service areas authorities that are typically possessed by local governments and permits service areas to act independently from the county.  Language is clarified about the ex-officio status of the members of the county legislative authority acting as the governing body of a service area.  Previously the county, in its name, could condemn property for its park purposes, and let a service area operate the park.  This allows the service area, in its own name, to take such actions.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.