HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1568

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Local Government

Title:  An act relating to city and town annexations.

Brief Description:  Modifying the provisions for city and town annexations.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dunshee, Brough and Cothern.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, March 2, 1993, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Bray, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dunshee; R. Fisher; Horn; Rayburn; Romero; Springer; Van Luven; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  Three primary procedures exist for a city or town to annex unincorporated territory that is adjacent to a portion of the city's or town's boundaries.

Two of the procedures involve an election where voters who reside in the area proposed to be annexed vote on a ballot proposition authorizing the annexation.  One of these procedures is the resolution/election method, where the annexation is proposed by resolution of the annexing city or town.  The other of these procedures is the petition/election method, where the annexation is proposed by petition of voters residing in the area proposed to be annexed.

The third procedure is the direct property owner petition method where an election is not held and the annexation occurs if the city or town council approves the annexation and a petition proposing the annexation has been signed by the owners of at least 75 percent of the assessed valuation in the area proposed to be annexed, if a non-code city or town is proposed to annex the area, or by the owners of at least 60 percent of the assessed valuation in the area proposed to be annexed, if a code city is proposed to annex the area.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  A joint select committee on city and town annexations is created composed of six members, three of whom are members of the House of Representatives and three of whom are members of the Senate.

The committee reviews annexation laws and makes recommendations by December 31, 1993.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  A study is provided for instead of altering annexation procedures.

Fiscal Note:  Requested March 2, 1993.

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

Testimony For:  Annexation laws need changes.  It is only democratic to allow resident voters to stop annexations proposed by property owners.

Testimony Against:  Our annexation laws are too difficult already.  Why make them more difficult?

Witnesses:  (pro original):  Representative Dunshee, prime sponsor; Michael Papa, Marysville Community Action Network; Barbara Gstohl and Zmilie Fogle, Stanwood City Council; Bruce Morgan and Edward Lowry, Newport Hills Now; Zee Straight-Wright, Residents Against Annexation of Garden of Eden.

(con original):  David Williams, Association of Washington Cities; Anne Phlug, city of Bothell; Kelly Robinson, city of Snohomish; and Doug Jacobsen, city of Monroe.