HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     EHB 2287

                           As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to port districts.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to port districts.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Haugen, Wilson, Zellinsky, Ferguson, Paris and Spanel.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, January 24, 1992, DP;

Passed House, February 17, 1992, 95-3;

Amended by Senate;

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 14 members:  Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Minority Member; Mitchell, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bray; Edmondson; Franklin; Horn; Nelson; Rayburn; Roland; Wood; Wynne; and Zellinsky.

Minority Report: Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Nealey.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  A port district may be created with the same boundaries as those of a county.  At two different periods less than countywide port districts were allowed to be created, but this authority no longer exists.

Summary of Bill:  A less than countywide port district with an assessed valuation of more than $75 million is allowed to be created in a county bordering on saltwater that already has a less than countywide port district.

The procedures to create a less than countywide port district resemble the procedures to create a countywide port district.  A petition calling for the creation of a less than countywide port district must be signed by voters residing in the proposed port district equal in number to at least 10 percent of the number of such voters who voted at the last county general election.  The county legislative authority holds a public hearing on the creation of the proposed port district, may alter the boundaries of the proposed port district, and may cause a ballot proposition to be submitted to voters of the proposed port district authorizing the creation of the port district.  The port district is created if the ballot proposition to create the port district is approved by at least a simple majority of the voters voting on the proposition.

The initial port commissioners are elected at the same election, but the election of port commissioners is null and void if the port district is not created.  Commissioner districts shall not be used to elect the initial port commissioners.

A port district may annex territory located in another port district, and remove the territory from the other port district, if the territory is located in a city with the same name as that of the annexing port district.

The term "gross operating revenues" is defined for purposes of Chapter 53.12 RCW, but as of the date of this report that term is not used in that chapter of law.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Oak Harbor residents want to create a port district and encourage economic development.  It is not practical to have one of the existing port districts annex the north Whidbey area.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Linda Wright, Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce; Stan Stanley, Island County, Economic Development Council; and Don White, Washington Public Ports Association.