FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2187

                          C 14 L 94

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Concerning the merger of fire protection districts.

By Representative Dunshee.

House Committee on Local Government

Senate Committee on Government Operations

Background:  Fire protection districts are governed by a board of commissioners consisting of either three or five members.  Fire commissioners serve staggered six-year terms of office.

Whenever two or more fire protection districts merge, the board of commissioners of the resulting fire protection district consists of all of the commissioners of the merging fire protection districts.  The size of this expanded board of commissioners is reduced gradually over the next three district general elections to either three or five members.  Where eventually the board will consist of three members, one commissioner is elected at each of the next three district general elections.  Where eventually the board will consist of five members, one commissioner is elected at the first district general election, and two commissioners are elected at the second and third district general elections.

Summary:  The process to reduce the number of commissioners in a fire protection district that results from the merging of two or more fire protection districts is altered slightly.  A vacancy will not be filled on a board of commissioners of a merged fire protection district until the number of fire commissioners has been reduced to its eventual size of either three or five commissioners.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  94 0

Senate 46 0

Effective:  June 9, 1994