SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1584

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

           State & Local Government, March 29, 1999

Title:  An act relating to fire protection districts.

Brief Description:  Allowing unincorporated territory adjacent to a fire protection district to be annexed.

Sponsors:  Representatives Hurst, Mulliken, Scott, Stensen and O'Brien.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  3/29/99 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Kline and McCaslin.

Staff:  Sharon Swanson (786-7445)

Background:  Currently, territory contiguous to a fire protection district and not within the bounds of a city, town or other fire protection district may be annexed to the fire protection district.

Summary of Bill:  A territory adjacent to a fire protection district and not within the boundaries of a city, town or other fire protection district may be annexed to the fire protection district by petition of 15 percent of the qualified registered electors residing within the territory proposed to be annexed.  A petition for annexation must be in writing, addressed to and filed with the board of fire commissioners of the district to which annexation is desired.  A city or town lying adjacent to a fire protection district may be annexed to such district if at the time of the annexation the population of the city or town is 100,000 or less.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill was requested by the fire protection districts.  The change proposed here will lower the insurance rates of folks who live in areas not currently protected.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Representative Hurst, prime sponsor; Dan Packer, East Pierce Fire and Rescue.