Z-1371.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2937
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1992 Regular Session
By Representatives Belcher and Bowman; by request of Department of Community Development
Read first time 02/03/92. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
AN ACT Relating to fire protection contracts; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 35.21.775 and 35.21.777; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The legislature finds that certain state-owned facilities and institutions impose a financial burden on the cities and towns responsible for providing fire protection services to those state facilities. The legislature establishes a process whereby cities and towns that have a significant share of their total assessed valuation taken up by state-owned facilities can enter into fire protection contracts with state agencies or institutions to provide a share of the jurisdiction's fire protection funding.
(2) In cities or towns where the estimated value of state-owned facilities constitutes ten percent or more of the total assessed property valuation, any state agency or institution owning such facilities shall contract with the city or town to provide a negotiated share of the cost of that jurisdiction's fire protection services. The contract shall provide for annual payments by the agency or institution to the city or town.
(3) A city or town seeking to enter into fire protection contract negotiations shall provide annual written notification to the department of community development and the state agencies or institutions that own property within the jurisdiction, of its intent to contract for fire protection services. Any such notification shall be based on the valuation procedures adopted by the department of community development in consultation with the department of general administration.
(4) The department of community development shall review any such notification to ensure that the valuation procedures and results are accurate. The department will notify each affected city or town and state agency or institution of the results.
(5) The parties negotiating fire protection contracts under this section shall conduct those negotiations in good faith. In the event the contracting parties cannot reach agreement on the terms of the contract, the director of the department of community development shall recommend a resolution of the disagreement to the director of the office of financial management, who shall then arbitrate the matter or matters in dispute.
(6) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require state agencies or institutions to contract for fire protection services that are performed by the agency or institution or by a fire protection district pursuant to RCW 52.30.020.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Prior to June 30, 1992, the department of community development shall, in consultation with the association of Washington cities, establish rules for the implementation of section 1 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
(1) RCW 35.21.775 and 1985 c 6 s 4, 1984 c 230 s 82, 1983 c 146 s 1, & 1979 ex.s. c 102 s 1; and
(2) RCW 35.21.777 and 1983 c 87 s 1.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 1 and 3 of this act shall take effect July 1, 1992.