AWC Legislative Bulletin - Volume 30, No. 12
March 23, 2007
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In this issue:
What You Need to Know Now
From the Director: And A Word From the Other Washington – D.C.
Energy & Telecommunications
Environment & Water
General Local Government
Infrastructure, Transportation & Economic Development
Land Use & Housing
Law & Justice
Municipal Finance
Personnel & Labor Relations
Online Legislative Advocacy Tools
AWC Legislative Contacts & Officers
Land Use & Housing
AWC Priority
Timing of Accrual of Property Tax Revenues (ESSB 5836/SHB 2031)
As reported in last week’s Bulletin, these companion bills expedite the transfer of library and fire district property taxes in areas containing these services when annexed to a city. Both bills contain provisions worked out with interested parties. SHB 2031 passed the House unanimously and has not been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate. ESSB 5836 passed the Senate unanimously, but not without a problem. At the last moment, an amendment was offered by Sen. Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam) that would prohibit Aberdeen (just outside his district) from annexing any land in the future unless the county commissioners agreed to it. ESSB 5836 is scheduled for a hearing before the House Local Government Committee on Thursday, March 29 at 8 am. AWC will testify in support of the underlying bill and will request that the Senate amendment be removed.
AWC Priority
Regulating House-Banked Social Card Games (ESSB 5558)
The courts have been very clear over the last few years noting that cities may ban or allow gambling and nothing in between. Legislation that provides cities the ability to zone, partially ban gambling facilities and defends cities’ ability to fully ban gambling is one of AWC’s 2007 Legislative Priorities.
ESSB 5558 grants local jurisdictions limited authority to determine the areas within which house-banked social card games may be conducted and grandfathers existing city moratoriums that limit the number of card rooms. Seventeen to twenty cities have some form of a "grandfather "clause that must be addressed before legal action is taken against the city likely voiding the moratorium. The bill also retains cities ability to ban gambling establishments. AWC supports these provisions and ESSB 5558.
As with most major bills not every aspect of this bill are supported by all of the interested parties and compromise was needed to advance a bill. ESSB 5558 includes a few provisions AWC did not endorse. We have attempted to reduce the impact of these provisions but recognize a few cities seek additional changes
ESSB 5558 passed out of the Senate on a vote of 48 – 0 on Thursday, March 8. The bill is scheduled for a hearing at 1:30 on Friday, March 23 in the House Committee on Commerce & Labor. If you have any questions or input on this issue, please contact Jim Justin at jimj@awcnet.org or Sheila Gall at sheilag@awcnet.org.
AWC Priority
Refinements to the Land Use and Housing Elements of
GMA Plans (ESHB 1727)
As reported in last week’s Bulletin, this bill was negotiated and AWC is no longer in opposition. As amended and passed unanimously by the House, it now contains a provision (Sec. 4) modeled after some portions of HB 2045, which is an AWC-supported measure that did not pass out of the House Local Government Committee after its final meeting a few weeks ago.
ESHB 1727 has been scheduled for hearing before the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on Monday, March 26 at 10 am. There is some county and developer opposition to the amended version of the bill and AWC is working to address some of their concerns. We have also canvassed cities impacted by this section to get their input and are incorporating those comments in to our efforts at resolving differences. For more information, please contact Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.
SHB 1458 requires new notice requirements to property owners before condemnation decisions/action may occur. The bill was heard this past week in the Senate Judiciary Committee, passed to the Rules Committee and is poised for consideration of passage on the Senate Floor.
ESHB 2016 passed the House and limits the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes. AWC is supportive of provisions allowing for the resale of property back to the original owner if the property is not used for the purpose for which it was intended. We are less comfortable with provisions dealing with changed definitions about what constitutes economic development, which attempt to codify current case law regarding eminent domain. This bill has been scheduled for public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, March 27 at 10 am.
AWC is evaluating the bill as it passed the House and welcomes input from interested cities. For more information, please contact either Sheila Gall, sheilag@awcnet.org, or Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.
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