Read first time 01/15/14.   Referred to Committee on Local Government.

     AN ACT Relating to interlocal agreements for ambulance services between fire protection districts and contiguous cities; and amending RCW 52.12.135.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 52.12.135 and 2003 c 209 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (((1))) A ((rural)) fire protection district organized under this title may enter into a contract pursuant to chapter 39.34 RCW with a contiguous city for the furnishing by the city to the fire protection district or districts of emergency medical services in the form of ambulance services, provided that the contract may not provide for the establishment of any ambulance service that would compete with any existing, private ambulance service. The fire protection district or districts may impose a monthly utility service charge on each developed residential property located in the portion of the fire protection district or districts served pursuant to the contract in an amount equal to the amount imposed by the city on similar city developed residential property. Developed residential property includes single-family residences, apartments, manufactured homes, mobile homes, and trailers available for occupancy for a continuous period greater than thirty days. A fire protection district or districts may contract with the contiguous city or with any other governmental entity pursuant to chapter 39.34 RCW for the billing and collection services related to the monthly utility service charge for ambulance service. A city providing ambulance services to a fire protection district or districts under a contract entered into pursuant to this subsection may charge individuals actually using the ambulance services reasonable rates and charges for the ambulance services.
     (((2) For purposes of this section, "rural" means a population density within the fire protection district or districts as a whole of ten or fewer persons per square mile.)) Prior to entering into a contract for the furnishing of emergency medical services as authorized by this section, the commissioners of the fire protection district or districts and the legislative authority of the city must, separately or jointly, hold a public hearing on the proposed contract prior to its execution. Each fire protection district and city holding a public hearing in accordance with this section must, separately or jointly, publish notice of the meeting or meetings, and a summary of the proposed contract, including costs to be borne by residents or property owners in the district if the contract is executed, at least once a week for two weeks before the date of the hearing or hearings in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the area to be served by the proposed contract.