FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5670

C 402 L 19

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Expanding the allowable powers of fire protection districts.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Senators Wagoner, Palumbo, Holy, Hobbs and Honeyford).

Senate Committee on Local Government

House Committee on Local Government

Background: Fire Protection Districts. A fire protection district is a type of special purpose district created to provide fire prevention, fire suppression, and emergency medical services within a district's boundaries, which can include incorporated and unincorporated areas.

Districts are authorized to:

• lease, operate, and provide fire and emergency medical apparatus and all other necessary facilities and equipment for preventing and suppressing fires, providing emergency medical services, and protecting life and property;

• lease, own, maintain, and operate real property for housing, repairing, and maintaining their apparatus, facilities, machinery, and equipment;

• contract with other governmental or private entities to consolidate, provide, or cooperate for fire prevention protection, fire suppression, investigation, and emergency medical purposes;

• encourage uniformity and coordination of fire protection district operations;

• enter into contracts for life insurance for fire district personnel;

• perform building and property inspections the district deems necessary to provide fire prevention services and pre-fire planning within the district; and

• determine the origin and cause of fires occurring within the district.

Generally, districts serve residents outside of cities or towns, except when cities and towns have been annexed into a district or when the district continues to provide service to a newly incorporated area. Districts are governed by an elected board of commissioners consisting of either three or five members.

Interlocal Cooperation Act. Washington's Interlocal Cooperation Act authorizes public agencies to contract with other public agencies via interlocal agreements enabling cooperation among the agencies to perform governmental activities and deliver public services. The purpose of such agreements is to permit local governmental units to make the most efficient use of their powers by enabling them to cooperate with other localities on a basis of mutual advantage and thereby providing services and facilities in a manner and pursuant to forms of governmental organization that will accord best with geographic, economic, population and other factors influencing the needs and development of local communities. Local governments engage in a wide array of cooperative efforts with each other, state agencies, and other governmental entities, and intergovernmental cooperation can take many forms.

Summary: A fire protection district is authorized to enter into interlocal agreements with local jurisdictions to maintain and repair vehicles or equipment owned and used exclusively by a county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of Washington. A district may also provide maintenance and repair of school buses.

Votes on Final Passage: