BILL REQ. #:  S-1963.1 

READ FIRST TIME 03/04/03.   

     AN ACT Relating to dissolution of regional transit authorities; adding a new section to chapter 81.112 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 81.112 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A regional transit authority may be dissolved by a vote of the people residing within the boundaries of the authority. Any referendum petition to dissolve the authority must be filed with the legislative authority of each county that is within, in whole or in part, the boundaries of the authority. The referendum petition must contain provisions for dissolution of the authority, subject to subsection (2) of this section. Within fourteen days of the filing of the petition, each affected county legislative authority shall confer with the petitioner concerning the form and style of the petition, issue an identification number for the petition, and write a ballot title for the measure. The ballot title must be posed as a question so that an affirmative vote on the measure results in authority retention and a negative vote on the measure results in the authority's dissolution. The petitioner must be notified of the identification number and ballot title within this fourteen-day period.
     After this notification, the petitioner must have ninety days in which to secure on petition forms, the signatures of not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters in the authority area and to file the signed petitions with the filing officer in each county. Each petition form must contain the ballot title and the full text of the measure to be referred. The filing officer shall verify the sufficiency of the signatures on the petitions. If sufficient valid signatures are properly submitted, the filing officer shall submit the referendum measure to the authority area voters at a general or special election held on one of the dates provided in RCW 29.13.010 as determined by the county legislative authorities, which election may not take place later than one hundred twenty days after the signed petition has been filed.
     (2) If an authority is dissolved under this process, within thirty days of the election conducted under subsection (1) of this section the authority shall terminate day-to-day operations and exist solely as a limited entity that oversees the collection of revenue and the payment of debt service or financing still in effect, if any. The authority shall terminate work on the transportation project or series of transportation projects, except that the authority may take reasonable steps to use, preserve, or connect any improvement already constructed. The authority shall accordingly adjust downward its employees, administration, and overhead expenses. Any taxes, fees, tolls, fares, or charges, imposed under an approved system and financing plan, terminate when the financing or debt service on the transportation project or series of transportation projects constructed is completed and paid, thirty days from which point the authority shall dissolve itself and cease to exist. If there is no debt outstanding, then the authority shall dissolve within thirty days of the election conducted in subsection (1) of this section. Notice of dissolution must be published in newspapers of general circulation within the authority at least three times in a period of thirty days. Creditors shall file claims due within thirty days of the last published notice or the claim is extinguished.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   This act is remedial in nature and applies to all regional transit authorities established before or after the effective date of this act.