HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5654

As Passed House:

April 16, 2003

Title: An act relating to fire protection in newly incorporated cities and towns.

Brief Description: Authorizing multiple fire districts to annex portions of a newly incorporated city or town.

Sponsors: By Senators McCaslin and Roach.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Local Government: 3/31/03, 4/3/03 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 4/16/03, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Romero, Chair; Upthegrove, Vice Chair; Schindler, Ranking Minority Member; Jarrett, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ahern, Berkey, Clibborn, Edwards, Ericksen, Mielke and Moeller.

Staff: Anne Warwick (786-7291) and Amy Wood (786-7127).

Background:

If a newly incorporated city or town is located in one or more fire protection districts, the city or town is deemed to have been annexed by that fire protection district or districts immediately upon incorporation. The newly incorporated city or town remains annexed to the district or districts through the remainder of the year of incorporation. The city or town council and the board or boards of fire commissioners can extend, by resolution, the annexation for an additional year. The city or town shall be withdrawn from the fire protection district or districts at the end of the period, unless a ballot proposition is adopted providing for annexation of the city or town to a fire protection district. Only those qualified electors that reside in the city or town or in the fire protection district can vote on the annexation. The statutes do not allow a newly incorporated city or town to permanently annex to multiple fire protection districts.

Summary of Bill:

A fire protection district can annex that area of the newly incorporated city or town located within the district, or the city may annex to one fire protection district. In an election to annex to more than one fire protection district, the qualified elector must reside within the appropriate fire protection district, or within that area of the city located within the district.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not Requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: None.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: None.