H-1079              _______________________________________________

                                            SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 11

                        _______________________________________________

                                                                            C 017 L 87

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Haugen, Madsen, Sayan and S. Wilson)

Read first time on 1/22/87 and referred to Committee on Rules.

AN ACT Relating to emergency service communication; adding new sections to chapter 82.14B RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     In lieu of providing a county-wide system of emergency service communication, the legislative authority of a county may establish one or more less than county-wide emergency service communication districts within the county for the purpose of providing and funding emergency service communication systems.  An emergency service communication district is a quasi municipal corporation, shall constitute a body corporate, and shall possess all the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes as well as all other powers that may now or hereafter be specifically conferred by statute, including, but not limited to, the authority to hire employees, staff, and services, to enter into contracts, and to sue and be sued.

          The county legislative authority shall be the governing body of an emergency service communication district.  The county treasurer shall act as the ex officio treasurer of the emergency services communication district.  The electors of an emergency service communication district are all registered voters residing within the district.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) A county legislative authority proposing to establish an emergency service communication district, or to modify the boundaries of an existing emergency service communication district, or to dissolve an existing emergency service communication district, shall conduct a hearing at the time and place specified in a notice published at least once, not less than ten days prior to the hearing, in a newspaper of general circulation within the emergency service communication district, or proposed emergency service communication district.  This notice shall be in addition to any other notice required by law to be published.  Additional notice of the hearing may be given by mail, posting within the proposed emergency service communication district, or in any manner the county legislative authority deems necessary to notify affected persons.  All hearings shall be public and the county legislative authority shall hear objections from any person affected by the formation, modification of the boundaries, or dissolution of the emergency service communication district.

          (2) Following the hearing held pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the county legislative authority may call a special election on one of the dates specified in RCW 29.13.020, and submit a ballot proposition to establish the emergency service communication district, modify the boundaries of the emergency service communication district, or dissolve the emergency service communication district, if the county legislative authority finds the action to be in the public interest and adopts a resolution providing for the action.  A ballot proposition to establish an emergency service communication district shall be submitted to the voters of the proposed district.  A ballot proposition to modify the boundaries of an emergency service communication district shall be submitted to the voters resident in the area to be annexed to, or deannexed from, the  district.  A ballot proposition to dissolve an emergency service communication district shall be submitted to the voters of the district.  Approval shall be by a simple majority vote.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     An emergency service communication district is authorized to finance and provide an emergency service communication system and, if authorized by the voters, to finance the system by imposing the excise tax authorized in RCW 82.14B.030.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     RCW 82.14B.040 through 82.14B.060 apply to any emergency service communication district established under sections 1 through 3 of this act.  A ballot proposition to authorize the excise tax authorized under RCW 82.14B.040 through 82.14B.060 may be submitted to the voters of a proposed emergency service communication district at the same election the ballot proposition creating the district is submitted.  The authority to impose the tax shall only exist if both of these ballot propositions are approved.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     Sections 1 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 82.14B RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

                                                                                                                       Passed the House January 26, 1987.

                                                                                                                                         Speaker of the House.

                                                                                                                          Passed the Senate March 25, 1987.

                                                                                                                                       President of the Senate.