SENATE BILL REPORT

                            HB 2749

      AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS,

                       FEBRUARY 25, 1994

Brief Description:  Revising provisions relating to cities and towns annexed by fire protection districts.

SPONSORS: Representative Springer

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Haugen, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Loveland, McCaslin, Oke, Owen and Winsley.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

Hearing Dates: February 24, 1994; February 25, 1994

BACKGROUND:

Prior to the creation of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) retirement system, a pension system was created for paid fire fighters employed by any city, town or fire protection district.

A variety of different sources of money was used by each city, town or fire protection district that had a paid fire fighter under this old pension system to finance benefits.

Annually, the State Treasurer distributes 45 percent of the receipts from the state's excise tax on fire insurance premiums to eligible cities, towns and fire protection districts for their pre-LEOFF fire fighters' pension obligations.  An eligible city, town or fire protection district receives an amount of these distributed tax receipts in the proportion that the number of its current fire fighters bears to the total number of current fire fighters in all of the eligible cities, towns and fire protection districts.

A fire protection district may annex an entire city or town with a population of 100,000 or less.

SUMMARY:

For any eligible city or town that was annexed by a fire protection district, at any time before, on, or after the effective date of this act, the eligible city or town receives state fire insurance premium tax receipts based upon the number of its fire fighters immediately before the annexation until all of the city's or town's obligations under the pre-LEOFF fire fighters' pension system have been satisfied.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This is a technical bill that simply allows the City of Kelso to continue to meet its pre-LEOFF fire fighter pension obligations.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Dave Williams, AWC (pro)