FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1635

                         C 175 L 91

                     Synopsis As Enacted

Brief Description:  Providing for taxes to fund emergency medical care services.

By House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Haugen, Day, D. Sommers, Nealey, Orr and Wynne).

House Committee on Local Government

House Committee on Revenue

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Background:  Any county, city or town, emergency medical service district, public hospital district, or fire protection district is authorized to impose a property tax levy up to 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of property for the provision of emergency medical services.  The levy is a regular property tax levy that is imposed, if approved, for up to a six-year period.

If a county levies the tax for emergency medical services, then no other taxing district within the county may levy the tax, except that if the county levies less than the full 25 cents, then another taxing district may levy a tax equal to the difference between the 25 cents and the rate levied by the county.

Summary:  An additional property tax levy of 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or a total of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, may be imposed by a county, city or town, emergency medical service district, public hospital district, or fire protection district for emergency medical services.

No taxing district may levy this additional 25 cents if there is pro rata reduction or elimination of levy rates for junior taxing districts within the boundaries of the taxing district.  The additional 25 cent levy does not affect pro rata rationing among taxing districts.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  96   0

Senate 46   0

Effective:    July 28, 1991