FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2495

C 84 L 02

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Updating outdated fire district statutes to increase efficiency.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Finance (originally sponsored by Representatives Mulliken, Dunshee, Edwards, Miloscia and Casada).

House Committee on Local Government & Housing

House Committee on Finance

Senate Committee on State & Local Government

Background:

Fire districts are authorized an additional property tax up to 50 cents per thousand above the general levy for fire districts, provided that it will not affect the rates of other taxing districts or cause the combined levies to exceed the constitutional limit.

The board of fire commissioners of any fire protection district may choose to levy the additional 50 cent property tax within a county where a township has never been formed or where there are one or more townships in existence making annual tax levies and the townships are disorganized as a result of a county‑wide disorganization procedure prescribed by statute and is no longer making any tax levy.

Summary:

Fire districts that contract with another fire district that has at least one full‑time, paid employee may choose to utilize the additional 50 cents per thousand property tax.

The fire district may utilize any part of the 50 cent levy if another taxing district agrees to release taxing units from their levies to the fire district.

Votes on Final Passage:

House970

Senate443

Effective:  June 13, 2002