FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2371

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                          C 70 L 92

Brief Description:  Modifying special assessment authority of conservation districts.

By Representatives Kremen, Nealey, R. Johnson, Haugen, Rayburn, Rasmussen, Spanel, Grant and Braddock.

House Committee on Local Government

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Background:  Conservation districts are special districts authorized to engage in a variety of resource conservation activities, including the conservation of soil and water.

The county legislative authority of the county in which a conservation district is located may impose a system of special assessments on land within the conservation district to finance the district's activities.  The county must hold a public hearing on the proposed special assessments and must find that the public interest will be served and the special assessments will not exceed the special benefit the land receives or will receive from the activities of the conservation district before it can impose the assessments.  The action of a county legislative authority only authorizes a system of special assessments to be imposed for a one-year period.

Summary:  The period of time over which a county legislative authority may impose special assessments for a conservation district is expanded from one year to up to 10 years.  If the county authorizes a system of special assessments for more than one year, the actual special assessment that is imposed on a parcel of land may vary each year in accordance with the system of measuring the special assessments.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  94   0

Senate 39   0

Effective:    June 11, 1992