BILL REQ. #:  S-0751.1 

Read first time 01/18/2007.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to publication of a public hospital district's proposed annexation in a voters' pamphlet; and adding a new section to chapter 70.44 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.44 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A public hospital district shall, whenever the proposed annexation of territory to its jurisdiction is scheduled to appear on a special election ballot, print and distribute a local voters' pamphlet. However, a public hospital district may satisfy its requirements under this section to the extent it enters into interlocal agreements with all counties within which the public hospital district and its proposed territorial additions are located for the publication of the proposed annexation measure in the respective counties' pamphlets for special elections.
     (2) If a public hospital district's proposed annexation measure is scheduled to appear on a primary or general election ballot and any county within which the public hospital district is located has not adopted an ordinance authorizing the publication and distribution of a local voters' pamphlet, a public hospital district shall print and distribute a local voters' pamphlet to voters within its jurisdiction and to voters in the territory proposed for annexation. If a public hospital district's proposed annexation measure is scheduled to appear on a primary or general election ballot but any local voters' pamphlet published by any county within which the hospital district is located does not publish the public hospital district's proposed annexation measure, a public hospital district shall print and distribute a local voters' pamphlet to voters within its jurisdiction and to voters in the territory proposed for annexation.
     (3) The format of all public hospital district's voters' pamphlets shall, whenever applicable, comply with the provisions of chapter 29A.32 RCW regarding the publication of local voters' pamphlets.