HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1383

                    As Amended by Senate

Title:  An act relating to annexation of unincorporated territory by municipal corporations providing sewer or water service.

Brief Description:  Clarifying annexation authority by municipal corporations providing sewer or water service of unincorporated territory.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Representatives Reams, Scott, Rust and Hargrove).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  2/17/95, 2/22/95 [DPS].

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  3/9/95, 96-0.

Senate Amended.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; L. Thomas, Vice Chairman; Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chopp; R. Fisher; Hargrove; Honeyford; Hymes; Mulliken; D. Schmidt; Sommers; Van Luven and Wolfe.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  When unincorporated territory consisting of less than 100 acres is at least 80 percent contiguous with the boundaries of two sewer districts, two water districts, or a water district and a sewer district, the board of commissioners of one of the districts may resolve to annex the territory if the other district's board of commissioners concurs.

Cities and towns may also provide sewer or water service.  There is no authority for a sewer district or water district to annex this territory even if the city or town concurs in the annexation.  Similarly, there is no authority for a city or town to annex this territory even if the sewer district or water district concurs in the annexation.

Summary of Bill:  When unincorporated territory consisting of less than 100 acres is at least 80 percent contiguous with the boundaries of two municipal corporations, and one of the municipal corporations is a sewer district, the legislative authority of one of the municipal corporations may resolve to annex the territory if the legislative authority of the other municipal corporation concurs in the annexation.

When unincorporated territory consisting of less than 100 acres is at least 80 percent contiguous with the boundaries of two municipal corporations, and one of the municipal corporations is a water district, the legislative authority of one of the municipal corporations may resolve to annex the territory if the legislative authority of the other municipal corporation concurs in the annexation.

A municipal corporation is defined as a city, town, water district, or sewer district.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):

The amendment clarifies that the current annexation procedures still apply to a water district that offers sewer service and to a sewer district that offers water service.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  This will help to provide sewer and water service to areas that need it.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Tim Shellberg, Washington State Sewer and Water Association; and Ron Speer, Soos Creek Sewer and Water District.

Votes on Final Passage:

Yeas 96; Excused 2

Excused:  Ballasiotes, Van Luven