Brief Description: Establishing a cemetery district in a county.

Sponsors: By Representatives Schmick, Simpson, Warnick, Schindler and Sullivan.

House Committee on Local Government
Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections

Background:

Cemetery districts may be established to acquire, maintain, manage, improve, and operate cemeteries and conduct any of the businesses of a cemetery.

A petition to create a cemetery district must be signed by no less than 15 percent of the registered voters residing within the boundaries of the proposed district. The petition must designate the boundaries of the proposed district or describe the lands to be included in the proposed district. After the petition has been verified by the county auditor, the county legislative authority must fix a date and time for the public hearing. If the county legislative authority finds the creation of a cemetery district to be conducive to public welfare and convenience, the legislative authority must designate the name and number of the district and fix the boundaries.

Summary:

A proposed cemetery district petition must be signed by no less than 10 percent of the registered voters residing within the boundaries of the proposed district.

A county legislative authority may provide a ballot proposition to create a cemetery district. The ballot proposition must designate the boundaries of the proposed district or describe the lands to be included within the district. The ballot proposition must be submitted to the voters residing within the proposed district.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   95   0
Senate   48   0

Effective: June 12, 2008