BILL REQ. #:  S-0569.1 

Read first time 01/28/13.   Referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

     AN ACT Relating to voter-approved benefit charges for fire protection districts; and amending RCW 52.18.050.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 52.18.050 and 1998 c 16 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Any benefit charge authorized by this chapter shall not be effective unless a proposition to impose the benefit charge is approved by a ((sixty percent)) majority of the voters of the district voting at a general election or at a special election called by the district for that purpose, held within the fire protection district. An election held pursuant to this section shall be held not more than twelve months prior to the date on which the first such charge is to be assessed: PROVIDED, That a benefit charge approved at an election shall not remain in effect for a period of more than six years nor more than the number of years authorized by the voters if fewer than six years unless subsequently reapproved by the voters.
     (2) The ballot shall be submitted so as to enable the voters favoring the authorization of a fire protection district benefit charge to vote "Yes" and those opposed thereto to vote "No," and the ballot shall be:

"Shall . . . . . . county fire protection district No. . . . . be authorized to impose benefit charges each year for . . . . (insert number of years not to exceed six) years, not to exceed an amount equal to sixty percent of its operating budget, and be prohibited from imposing an additional property tax under RCW 52.16.160?

"Shall . . . . . . county fire protection district No. . . . . be authorized to continue voter-authorized benefit charges each year for . . . . (insert number of years not to exceed six) years, not to exceed an amount equal to sixty percent of its operating budget, and be prohibited from imposing an additional property tax under RCW 52.16.160?