HOUSE BILL REPORT
SB 5767
As Reported By House Committee On:
Government Operations
Title: An act relating to municipal irrigation assessment districts.
Brief Description: Authorizing consolidation of municipal irrigation assessment districts.
Sponsors: Senators Deccio and McCaslin.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Government Operations: 3/29/95 [DP].
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Majority Report: 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: Steve Lundin (786-7127).
Background: Cities and towns are authorized to acquire water and water rights and provide a system to deliver water for domestic and irrigation purposes both inside and outside of their boundaries and may create assessment districts and impose special assessments against the property within the assessment districts to finance the costs in supplying water.
Summary of Bill: The legislative authority of a city or town may consolidate irrigation assessment districts for the purposes of constructing, rehabilitating, and maintaining irrigation systems. The assessments may be commingled in a consolidated fund for future expenses of the consolidated system.
A city or town may accumulate reasonable operating fund reserves to pay for system upkeep, repair, operation and maintenance, but the reserve may not exceed the cost of system construction, reconstruction, or refurbishment.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Yakima has over 60 of these areas. This will save money and lessen impacts on property owners.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: Senator Deccio, prime sponsor; and Lynn Buchanan, city of Yakima.