FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 5369

                           C 79 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing a majority vote to authorize merger of fire protection districts.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Winsley.

Senate Committee on Government Operations

House Committee on Government Operations

Background:  A fire protection district may merge with an adjacent fire protection district.  The district desiring to merge with another district is called the "merging district."  A petition to merge must be filed by the merging district with the merger district.  If the merger district approves the petition, the merging district requests the county auditor to call a special election for the purpose of presenting the question of merging the districts to the voters of the merging district.  If three-fifths of the votes cast at the election favor the merger, the respective district boards adopt concurrent resolutions that declare the districts merged under the name of the merger district.  Partial mergers between two fire protection districts require only a majority vote.

Summary:  The requirement for a supermajority vote to approve a merger of fire protection districts is eliminated.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    49 0

House     88 7

Effective:  July 23, 1995