[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to changing references in annexation procedures from "qualified electors" to "registered voters"; amending RCW 35A.14.299 and 35A.14.020; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Referendum petitions for annexations must be signed by a requisite number of qualified electors in order to be placed on the ballot. Unlike registered voters, there is no record of qualified electors within a city or town. Consequently there is no way of determining the validity of individual signatures or whether the requisite number of qualified electors have signed a petition.

It is the legislature's intent to replace the "qualified electors" with "registered voters."

Sec. 2. RCW 35A.14.299 and 1967 ex.s. c 119 s 35A.14.299 are each amended to read as follows:

Such annexation ordinance as provided for in RCW 35A.14.297 shall be subject to referendum for forty-five days after the passage thereof. Upon the filing of a timely and sufficient referendum petition with the legislative body, signed by ((~~qualified electors~~)) registered voters in number equal to not less than ten percent of the votes cast in the last general state election in the area to be annexed, the question of annexation shall be submitted to the voters of such area in a general election if one is to be held within ninety days or at a special election called for that purpose not less than forty-five days nor more than ninety days after the filing of the referendum petition. Notice of such election shall be given as provided in RCW 35A.14.070 ((~~and the election shall be conducted as provided in RCW 35A.14.060~~)). The annexation shall be deemed approved by the voters unless a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are in opposition thereto.

After the expiration of the forty-fifth day from but excluding the date of passage of the annexation ordinance, if no timely and sufficient referendum petition has been filed, the area annexed shall become a part of the code city upon the date fixed in the ordinance of annexation. From and after such date, if the ordinance so provided, property in the annexed area shall be subject to the proposed zoning regulation prepared and filed for such area as provided in RCW 35A.14.330 and 35A.14.340. If the ordinance so provided, all property within the area annexed shall be assessed and taxed at the same rate and on the same basis as the property of such annexing code city is assessed and taxed to pay for any then outstanding indebtedness of such city contracted prior to, or existing at, the date of annexation.

Sec. 3. RCW 35A.14.020 and 1989 c 351 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

When a petition is sufficient under the rules set forth in RCW 35A.01.040, calling for an election to vote upon the annexation of unincorporated territory contiguous to a code city, describing the boundaries of the area proposed to be annexed, stating the number of voters therein as nearly as may be, and signed by ((~~qualified electors~~)) registered voters resident in such territory equal in number to ten percent of the votes cast at the last state general election therein, it shall be filed with the auditor of the county in which all, or the greatest portion, of the territory is located, and a copy of the petition shall be filed with the legislative body of the code city. If the territory is located in more than a single county, the auditor of the county with whom the petition is filed shall act as the lead auditor and transmit a copy of the petition to the auditor of each other county within which a portion of the territory is located. The auditor or auditors shall examine the petition, and the auditor or lead auditor shall certify the sufficiency of the petition to the legislative authority of the code city.

If the signatures on the petition are certified as containing sufficient valid signatures, the city legislative authority shall, by resolution entered within sixty days thereafter, notify the petitioners, either by mail or by publication in the same manner notice of hearing is required by RCW 35A.14.040 to be published, of its approval or rejection of the proposed action. In approving the proposed action, the legislative body may require that there also be submitted to the electorate of the territory to be annexed, a proposition that all property within the area to be annexed shall, upon annexation, be assessed and taxed at the same rate and on the same basis as the property of such annexing city is assessed and taxed to pay for all or any portion of the then-outstanding indebtedness of the city to which said area is annexed, which indebtedness has been approved by the voters, contracted for, or incurred prior to, or existing at, the date of annexation. Only after the legislative body has completed preparation and filing of a proposed zoning regulation for the area to be annexed as provided for in RCW 35A.14.330 and 35A.14.340, the legislative body in approving the proposed action, may require that the proposed zoning regulation be simultaneously adopted upon the approval of annexation by the electorate of the area to be annexed. The approval of the legislative body shall be a condition precedent to further proceedings upon the petition. The costs of conducting the election called for in the petition shall be a charge against the city concerned. The proposition or questions provided for in this section may be submitted to the voter either separately or as a single proposition.