BILL REQ. #:  H-4303.1 

Read first time 01/15/10.   Referred to Committee on Local Government & Housing.

     AN ACT Relating to the formation, operation, and governance of regional fire protection service authorities; and amending RCW 52.26.020, 52.26.040, and 52.26.080.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 52.26.020 and 2006 c 200 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Board" means the governing body of a regional fire protection service authority.
     (2) "Regional fire protection service authority" or "authority" means a municipal corporation, an independent taxing authority within the meaning of Article VII, section 1 of the state Constitution, and a taxing district within the meaning of Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution, whose boundaries are coextensive with two or more adjacent fire protection jurisdictions and that has been created by a vote of the people under this chapter to implement a regional fire protection service authority plan.
     (3) "Regional fire protection service authority planning committee" or "planning committee" means the advisory committee created under RCW 52.26.030 to create and propose to fire protection jurisdictions a regional fire protection service authority plan to design, finance, and develop fire protection and emergency service projects.
     (4) "Regional fire protection service authority plan" or "plan" means a plan to develop and finance a fire protection service authority project or projects, including, but not limited to, specific capital projects, fire operations and emergency service operations pursuant to RCW 52.26.040(3)(b), and preservation and maintenance of existing or future facilities.
     (5) "Fire protection jurisdiction" means a fire district, city, town, port district, or Indian tribe.
     (6) "Regular property taxes" has the same meaning as in RCW 84.04.140.
     (7) "Participating fire protection jurisdiction" means a fire protection jurisdiction participating in the formation or operation of a regional fire protection service authority.
     (8) "Elected official" means an elected official of a participating fire protection jurisdiction or a regional fire protection district commissioner created under RCW 52.26.080.

Sec. 2   RCW 52.26.040 and 2006 c 200 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A regional fire protection service authority planning committee shall adopt a regional fire protection service authority plan providing for the governance, design, financing, and development of fire protection and emergency services. The planning committee may consider the following factors in formulating its plan:
     (a) Land use planning criteria; and
     (b) The input of cities and counties located within, or partially within, a participating fire protection jurisdiction.
     (2) The planning committee may coordinate its activities with neighboring cities, towns, and other local governments that engage in fire protection planning.
     (3) The planning committee shall:
     (a) Create opportunities for public input in the development of the plan;
     (b) Adopt a plan proposing the creation of a regional fire protection service authority and recommending governance, design, financing, and development of fire protection and emergency service facilities and operations, including maintenance and preservation of facilities or systems. The plan may authorize the authority to establish a system of ambulance service to be operated by the authority or operated by contract after a call for bids. However, the authority shall not provide for the establishment of an ambulance service that would compete with any existing private ambulance service, unless the authority determines that the region served by the authority, or a substantial portion of the region served by the authority, is not adequately served by an existing private ambulance service. In determining the adequacy of an existing private ambulance service, the authority shall take into consideration objective generally accepted medical standards and reasonable levels of service which must be published by the authority. Following the preliminary conclusion by the authority that the existing private ambulance service is inadequate, and before establishing an ambulance service or issuing a call for bids, the authority shall allow a minimum of sixty days for the private ambulance service to meet the generally accepted medical standards and accepted levels of service. In the event of a second preliminary conclusion of inadequacy within a twenty-four-month period, the authority may immediately issue a call for bids or establish its own ambulance service and is not required to afford the private ambulance service another sixty-day period to meet the generally accepted medical standards and reasonable levels of service. A private ambulance service that is not licensed by the department of health or whose license is denied, suspended, or revoked is not entitled to a sixty-day period within which to demonstrate adequacy and the authority may immediately issue a call for bids or establish an ambulance service; and
     (c) In the plan, recommend sources of revenue authorized by RCW 52.26.050, identify the portions of the plan that may be amended by the board of the authority without voter approval, consistent with RCW 52.26.050, and recommend a financing plan to fund selected fire protection and emergency services and projects.
     (4) Once adopted, the plan must be forwarded to the participating fire protection jurisdictions' governing bodies to initiate the election process under RCW 52.26.060.
     (5) If the ballot measure is not approved, the planning committee may redefine the selected regional fire protection service authority projects, financing plan, and the ballot measure. The fire protection jurisdictions' governing bodies may approve the new plan and ballot measure, and may then submit the revised proposition to the voters at a subsequent election or a special election. If a ballot measure is not approved by the voters by the third vote, the planning committee is dissolved.

Sec. 3   RCW 52.26.080 and 2004 c 129 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The board shall adopt rules for the conduct of business. The board shall adopt bylaws to govern authority affairs, which may include:
     (a) The time and place of regular meetings;
     (b) Rules for calling special meetings;
     (c) The method of keeping records of proceedings and official acts;
     (d) Procedures for the safekeeping and disbursement of funds; and
     (e) Any other provisions the board finds necessary to include.
     (2) The governing board shall be determined by the plan and shall consist solely of elected officials of a participating fire protection jurisdiction and, if authorized by the plan, one or more regional fire protection service authority commissioners as provided in subsection (3) of this section.
     (3)(a) A regional fire protection service authority plan may create one or more regional fire protection service authority commissioner positions to serve on a governing board. The following provisions define the qualifications, compensation, terms, and responsibilities of regional fire protection service authority commissioner positions:
     (i) RCW 52.14.010 governs the compensation, qualifications, and ability to serve as a volunteer firefighter;
     (ii) RCW 52.14.030 governs the polling places for elections; and
     (iii) RCW 52.14.050 governs commissioner vacancies.
     (b) The terms of office for regional fire protection service authority commissioner positions may be established by the plan, however, no single term may exceed six years and the terms of multiple positions must be staggered.
     (c) Regional fire protection service authority commissioners shall take an oath of office in the manner specified by RCW 52.14.070.
     (4)(a) A regional fire protection service authority plan may create commissioner districts. If commissioner districts are created, the population of each commissioner district must be approximately equal. Commissioner districts must be redrawn as provided in chapter 29A.76 RCW.
     (b) Commissioner districts shall be used as follows: (i) Only a registered voter who resides in a commissioner district may be a candidate for, or serve as, a commissioner of the commissioner district; and (ii) only voters of a commissioner district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the commissioner district. All voters of the proposed authority must be eligible to vote at a general election to elect a commissioner of the commissioner district. If a plan includes elected officials from participating fire protection jurisdictions, the commissioner districts may be based, in part, on the jurisdictional boundaries of the participating jurisdictions.