HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5751

                       As Passed House

                        April 8, 1993

Title:  An act relating to rural partial-county library districts.

Brief Description:  Authorizing rural partial‑county library districts.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen and Spanel).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, March 30, 1993, DPA;

Passed House - Amended, April 8, 1993, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  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:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  Local public library services may be provided by:

City, town or county libraries;

Rural library districts established in the unincorporated territory of a county;

Regional libraries operated by several counties or other governmental units under a joint contract;

Intercounty rural library districts operating throughout several counties; and

Island library districts in the unincorporated area of a single island in a county consisting entirely of islands and having a population of less than 25,000 at the time the district is established.

Cities or towns may be annexed into rural library districts, intercounty rural library districts or island library districts.

Summary of Bill:  Rural partial-county library districts may be created.  The process is initiated by the petition of at least 10 percent of the registered voters residing in the area proposed to be included in the district.  The proposed district must have an assessed valuation of at least $50 million.  The county legislative authority may adjust the proposed boundaries and, if they believe that the creation of the district is in the public interest, cause the question to be placed on the ballot.  The district is created if a majority of the voters voting on the proposition vote in favor of its creation.  Rural partial-county library districts are subject to the same provisions of law pertaining to rural county library districts.

A partial-county library district may annex adjacent unincorporated territory and may annex a town or city with a population of 100,000 or less.  If a rural county library district is established in the same county, the partial-county library district is dissolved and its assets and liabilities transferred to the rural library district.

Rural partial-county library districts are prohibited from being consolidated with other districts without the approval of the other districts' boards.

Partial-county library districts may impose special levies with 60 percent voter approval.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This would affect approximately nine counties.  This would encourage the spread of library services to areas that haven't been successful in forming a countywide library district.  People who support library services would be able to get them.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Tom Mayer, Sno-Isle Regional Library District; and K.O. Rosenberg, Northeast Tri Counties.