SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5550

                            AS OF FEBRUARY 18, 1991

Brief Description:  Allowing municipalities to use United States census data.

SPONSORS:Senator Craswell; by request of Secretary of State.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Staff:  Barbara Howard (786‑7410)

Hearing Dates:February 19, 1991

BACKGROUND:

The Forecasting Division of the Office of Financial Management (OFM) has the responsibility of maintaining accurate population data for local governments.  Distribution of state revenues to local governments is calculated from this data base.

When an unincorporated area is annexed to a city or town, the city must furnish a certificate of resident population to OFM.  The only method currently available is for the city to take an enumeration, for which it must bear the cost. 

In the recent annexation of the remainder of Bainbridge Island to Winslow, the city was required to make a special enumeration.  It has been suggested that federal census data should be adequate to meet this requirement if the annexation occurs within a year of the decennial census.  

SUMMARY:

In years ending with a "1," the mayor of a city annexing territory may use the federal population data from the decennial census of the previous year.  The annexed area must contain at least 1,000 people and the annexation boundaries must correspond with federal census count geography.  The final population determination for all annexations is subject to certification by OFM.

This requirement applies for both code and non-code cities and towns.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested