SENATE BILL REPORT

 

                            SB 5103

 

      AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS,

                       JANUARY 14, 1994

 

 

Brief Description:  Authorizing emergency service communication districts to issue general obligation bonds.

 

SPONSORS: Senators Loveland, Winsley, Vognild and West

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

 

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

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

 

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

 

Hearing Dates: February 9, 1993; February 12, 1993; January 14, 1994

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

In lieu of providing a county-wide system of emergency service communication, the legislative authority of any county may establish one or more less than county-wide emergency service communication districts for the purpose of providing and funding emergency service communication systems.  The legislative authority of a county may impose a county enhanced 911 excise tax on the use of switched access lines in an amount not exceeding 50 cents per month for each switched access line.  The state also imposes a state enhanced 911 excise tax at a rate not to exceed 20 cents per month for each switched access line until December 31, 1998.  Thereafter, the state tax cannot exceed 10 cents per month for each switched access line. 

 

Emergency communication service districts are not authorized to contract indebtedness or issue general obligation bonds to finance an emergency services communication system.

 

SUMMARY:

 

An emergency services communications district may contract indebtedness and may issue general obligation bonds to finance an emergency services communication system.  The indebtedness of the district cannot exceed one and one-quarter percent of the value of taxable property in the district.  An excess property tax levy to retire general indebtedness may be imposed if a ballot proposition authorizing both the indebtedness and the levy is approved by at least three-fifths of the voters of the district voting on the proposition and the total number of voters voting on the proposition constitutes not less than 40 percent of the total number of voters in the district voting at the last preceding general election.

 

Appropriation:  none

 

Revenue:  none

 

Fiscal Note:  none requested

 

TESTIMONY FOR:  None

 

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

 

TESTIFIED:  No one