_______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE
SENATE BILL 5913
_______________________________________________
AS
AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed
Legislature - 1993 Regular Session
State
of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993
Regular Session
By
Read
first time 03/03/93.
Modifying annexation procedures for public hospital districts.
AN ACT Relating to annexation procedures for
public hospital districts; and amending RCW 70.44.200.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1.
RCW 70.44.200 and 1979 ex.s. c 143 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) A public hospital district may annex
territory outside the existing boundaries of such district and contiguous
thereto, whether the territory lies in one or more counties, in accordance with
this section.
(2) A petition for annexation of territory
contiguous to a public hospital district may be filed with the commission of
the district to which annexation is proposed. The petition must be signed by
the owners, as prescribed by RCW 35A.01.040(9) (a) through (e), of not less
than sixty percent of the area of land within the territory proposed to be
annexed. Such petition shall describe the boundaries of the territory proposed
to be annexed and shall be accompanied by a map which outlines the boundaries
of such territory.
(3) Whenever such a petition for annexation is
filed with the commission of a public hospital district, the commission may
entertain the same, fix a date for public hearing thereon, and cause notice of
the hearing to be published once a week for at least two consecutive weeks in a
newspaper of general circulation within the territory proposed to be annexed.
The notice shall also be posted in three public places within the territory
proposed to be annexed, shall contain a description of the boundaries of such
territory, and shall specify the time and place of hearing and invite
interested persons to appear and voice approval or disapproval of the
annexation.
(4) Following the hearing, if the commission of
the district determines to accomplish the annexation, it shall do so by
resolution. The resolution may annex all or any portion of the proposed
territory but may not include in the annexation any property not described in
the petition. Upon passage of the annexation resolution, the territory annexed
shall become part of the district and a certified copy of such resolution shall
be filed with the legislative authority of the county or counties in which the
annexed property is located.
(5) If the petition for annexation and the
annexation resolution so provide, as the commission may require, and such
petition has been signed by the owners of all the land within the boundaries of
the territory being annexed, the annexed property shall assume and be assessed
and taxed to pay for all or any portion of the outstanding indebtedness of the
district to which it is annexed at the same rates as other property within such
district. Unless so provided in the petition and resolution, property within
the boundaries of the territory annexed shall not be assessed or taxed to pay
for all or any portion of the indebtedness of the district to which it is
annexed that was contracted prior to or which existed at the date of
annexation. In no event shall any such annexed property be released from any
assessments or taxes previously levied against it or from its existing
liability for the payment of outstanding bonds or warrants issued prior to such
annexation.
(6) The annexation procedure provided for in ((RCW
70.44.200)) this section shall be an alternative method of
annexation applicable only ((when)) if at the time ((a))
the annexation petition is filed ((pursuant to RCW 70.44.200)) either
there are no ((qualified electors)) registered voters residing in
the territory proposed to be annexed or the petition is also signed
by all of the registered voters residing in the territory proposed to be
annexed.
