HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 6021

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Local Government

Title:  An act relating to emergency service communication districts.

Brief Description:  Providing a procedure for consolidation or dissolution of emergency service communication districts.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Winsley.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, February 18, 1994, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Springer, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dunshee; R. Fisher; Horn; Moak; Rayburn; Van Luven and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  Counties are authorized to provide an emergency services communication system throughout the entire county, including an enhanced 911 telephone system, and to finance the system by imposing an excise tax of not exceeding 50 cents per month on the use of each switched access line.

In lieu of providing a county-wide emergency service communication system, the county legislative authority may create one or more emergency communication districts.  The county legislative authority is the governing body of an emergency service communication district.  An emergency service communication district may impose the same excise tax on switched access lines that a county may impose.

Summary of Bill:  Two or more emergency service communication districts in a county may be consolidated, if the county legislative authority of the county adopts a resolution causing the consolidation and finds the consolidation to be in the public interest.  The county legislative authority must hold a public hearing on the proposed consolidation prior to adopting the resolution.  The county legislative must specify the manner in which the consolidation is to be accomplished.

An emergency service communication district in a county may be dissolved if the county legislative authority of the county adopts a resolution causing the dissolution and finds the dissolution to be in the public interest.  The county legislative authority must hold a public hearing on the proposed dissolution prior to adopting the resolution.  The county legislative must specify the manner in which the dissolution is to be accomplished and supervises the liquidation of any assets and the satisfaction of any outstanding indebtedness.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Now with the statewide enhancement, this type of district is no longer needed.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Zellinsky.