Animal services districts

AN ACT Relating to the creation of animal services districts; and 1
adding a new chapter to Title 35 RCW. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. An animal services district may be created 4
for the purpose of sheltering, medical care, adoption services, pet 5
licensing, temporary emergency housing, and humane law enforcement. 6
An animal services district may include territory located in portions 7
or all of one or more cities or counties, or one or more cities and 8
counties, when created or enlarged as provided in this chapter.9
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) When proposed by citizen petition or 10
by local government resolution as provided in this section, a ballot 11
proposition authorizing the creation of an animal services district 12
must be submitted by resolution to the voters of the area proposed to 13
be included in the district at any general election, or at any 14
special election which may be called for that purpose.15
(2) The ballot proposition must be submitted if the governing 16
body of each city in which all or a portion of the proposed district 17
is located, and the legislative authority of each county in which all 18
or a portion of the proposed district is located within the 19
H-1284.1
HOUSE BILL 1985
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Parshley and Reed
Read first time 02/17/25. Referred to Committee on Local Government.
p. 1 HB 1985
unincorporated portion of the county, each adopts a resolution 1
submitting the proposition to create an animal services district.2
(3) As an alternative to the method provided under subsection (2) 3
of this section, the ballot proposition must be submitted if a 4
petition proposing creation of an animal services district is 5
submitted to the county auditor of each county in which all or a 6
portion of the proposed district is located that is signed by at 7
least 15 percent of the registered voters residing in the area to be 8
included within the proposed district. Where the petition is for 9
creation of a district in more than one county, the petition must be 10
filed with the county auditor of the county having the greater area 11
of the proposed district, and a copy filed with each other county 12
auditor of the other counties covering the proposed district.13
(4) Territory by virtue of its annexation to any city whose 14
territory lies entirely within an animal services district are deemed 15
to be within the limits of the animal services district.16
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. If a majority of the voters voting on the 17
ballot proposition authorizing the creation of the animal services 18
district vote in favor of the formation of an animal services 19
district, the animal services district must be created as a municipal 20
corporation effective immediately upon certification of the election 21
results and its name must be that designated in the ballot 22
proposition. When an ex officio treasurer of an animal services 23
district is a city or county treasurer, the treasurer may provide a 24
bridge loan or line of credit to the newly formed animal services 25
district until such time as the district has received sufficient levy 26
proceeds to pay for the maintenance and operations of the animal 27
services district.28
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The resolution or petition submitting 29
the ballot proposition must designate the composition of the board of 30
animal services commissioners from among the alternatives provided 31
under subsections (2) through (4) of this section. The ballot 32
proposition must clearly describe the designated composition of the 33
board.34
(2) The commissioners of the district may be selected by 35
election, in which case at the same election at which the proposition 36
is submitted to the voters as to whether an animal services district 37
is to be formed, five animal services commissioners are elected. The 38
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election of animal services commissioners is null and void if the 1
animal services district is not created. Candidates must run for 2
specific commission positions. No primary may be held to nominate 3
candidates. The person receiving the greatest number of votes for 4
each position is elected as a commissioner. The staggering of the 5
terms of office occurs as follows: (a) The two persons who are 6
elected receiving the two greatest numbers of votes are elected to 7
six-year terms of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered 8
year or five-year terms of office if the election is held in an even 9
numbered year; (b) the two persons who are elected receiving the next 10
two greatest numbers of votes are elected to four-year terms of 11
office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or three-year 12
terms of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year; and 13
(c) the other person who is elected is elected to a two-year term of 14
office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a one-year 15
term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year. The 16
initial commissioners take office immediately when they are elected 17
and qualified, and for purposes of computing their terms of office 18
the terms are assumed to commence on the first day of January in the 19
year after they are elected. Thereafter, all commissioners are 20
elected to six-year terms of office. All commissioners serve until 21
their respective successors are elected and qualified and assume 22
office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280. Vacancies occur and are 23
filled as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW. 24
(3) In a district wholly located within a city or within the 25
unincorporated area of a county, the governing body of such city or 26
legislative authority of such county may be designated to serve in an 27
ex officio capacity as the board of animal services commissioners, 28
provided that when creation of the district is proposed by citizen 29
petition, the city or county approves by resolution such designation.30
(4) Where the proposed district is located within more than one 31
city, more than one county, or any combination of cities and 32
counties, each city governing body and county legislative authority 33
may be designated to collectively serve ex officio as the board of 34
animal services commissioners through selection of one or more 35
members from each to serve as the board, provided that when creation 36
of the district is proposed by citizen petition, each city governing 37
body and county legislative authority approve by resolution such 38
designation. Within six months of the date of certification of 39
election results approving creation of the district, the size and 40
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membership of the board must be determined through interlocal 1
agreement of each city and county. The interlocal agreement must 2
specify the method for filling vacancies on the board.3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The manner of holding any general or 4
special election in an animal services district must be in accordance 5
with the general election laws of this state insofar as they are not 6
inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Every animal services district through its 8
board of commissioners may contract indebtedness and evidence such 9
indebtedness by the issuance and sale of warrants, short-term 10
obligations as provided by chapter 39.50 RCW, or general obligation 11
bonds, for any purposes authorized for such animal services district 12
and the extension and maintenance thereof, not exceeding, together 13
with all other outstanding nonvoter approved general indebtedness, 14
one-quarter of one percent of the value of the taxable property in 15
such animal services district, as the term "value of the taxable 16
property" is defined in RCW 39.36.015. General obligation bonds may 17
not be issued with a maximum term in excess of the maximum term set 18
forth in chapter 39.46 RCW. Such general obligation bonds must be 19
issued and sold in accordance with chapter 39.46 RCW.20
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Every animal services district may 21
contract indebtedness not exceeding in amount, together with existing 22
voter-approved indebtedness and nonvoter-approved indebtedness, equal 23
to two and one-half percent of the value of the taxable property in 24
said district, as the term "value of the taxable property" is defined 25
in RCW 39.36.015, whenever three fifths of the voters voting at an 26
election held in the animal services district assent thereto; the 27
election may be either a special or a general election, and the 28
animal services commissioners of the animal services district may 29
cause the question of incurring such indebtedness, and issuing 30
negotiable bonds of such animal services district, to be submitted to 31
the qualified voters of the district at any time.32
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. An animal services district may issue and 33
sell revenue bonds as provided in chapter 39.46 RCW to be made 34
payable from the operating revenues of the animal services district.35
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. (1) The county treasurer of the county 1
within which all, or the major portion, of the district lies must be 2
the ex officio treasurer of an animal services district, but may 3
receive no compensation other than his or her regular salary for 4
receiving and disbursing the funds of an animal services district. 5
(2) An animal services district may designate someone other than 6
the county treasurer who has experience in financial or fiscal 7
affairs to act as the district treasurer if the board has received 8
the approval of the county treasurer to designate this person; or if 9
the district boundaries are coterminous with the boundaries of a 10
city, the city may act as the district treasurer. If the board 11
designates someone other than a county or city treasurer to act as 12
the district treasurer, the board must purchase a bond from a surety 13
company operating in the state that is sufficient to protect the 14
district from loss. 15
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Whenever there is money in the animal 16
services district fund and the commissioners of the animal services 17
district deem it advisable to apply any part thereof to the payment 18
of bonded indebtedness, they must advertise in a newspaper of general 19
circulation within the animal services district for the presentation 20
to them for payment of as many bonds as they may desire to pay with 21
the funds on hand, the bonds to be paid in numerical order, beginning 22
with the lowest number outstanding and called by number. The bonds 23
cease to bear interest 30 days after the first publication of the 24
notice by the board calling in bonds, and this must be stated in the 25
notice.26
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Any coupons for the payment of interest 27
on animal services district bonds must be considered for all purposes 28
as warrants drawn upon the animal services district fund against 29
which the bonds were issued, and when presented after maturity to the 30
treasurer of the county having custody of the fund. If there are no 31
funds in the treasury to pay the coupons, the county treasurer shall 32
endorse said coupons as presented for payment, in the same manner as 33
county warrants are endorsed, and thereafter the coupon bears 34
interest at the same rate as the bond to which it was attached. If 35
there are no funds in the treasury to make payment on a bond not 36
having coupons, the interest payment continues bearing interest at 37
p. 5 HB 1985
the bond rate until it is paid, unless otherwise provided in the 1
proceedings authorizing the sale of the bonds. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. (1) The board of animal services 3
commissioners may levy or cause to be levied a general tax on all the 4
property located in said animal services district each year not to 5
exceed 25 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value of the 6
property in such animal services district.7
(2) The board of animal services commissioners is hereby 8
authorized to levy a general tax in excess of its regular property 9
tax levy or levies when authorized so to do at a special election 10
conducted in accordance with and subject to all the requirements of 11
the Constitution and laws of the state now in force or hereafter 12
enacted governing the limitation of tax levies. The board is hereby 13
authorized to call a special election for the purpose of submitting 14
to the qualified voters of the animal services district a proposition 15
to levy a tax in excess of the regular levy rates authorized for the 16
district under subsection (1) of this section. The manner of 17
submitting any such proposition, of certifying the same, and of 18
giving or publishing notice thereof, must be as provided by law for 19
the submission of propositions by cities, towns, or counties.20
(3) The board of animal services commissioners must include in 21
its general tax levy for each year a sufficient sum to pay the 22
interest on all outstanding bonds and may include a sufficient amount 23
to create a sinking fund for the redemption of all outstanding bonds. 24
The levy must be certified to the proper county officials for 25
collection the same as other general taxes and, for any animal 26
services district for which the county treasurer serves as the ex 27
officio treasurer, when collected, the general tax must be placed in 28
a separate fund in the office of the county treasurer to be known as 29
the "animal services district fund" and disbursed under RCW 30
36.29.010(1)(a) and 39.58.750. 31
NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. The assessment for local improvements 32
authorized by this chapter becomes a lien in the same manner, and is 33
governed by the same law, as is provided for local assessments in 34
cities of the first class and must be collected as such assessments 35
are collected.36
p. 6 HB 1985
NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. The territory adjoining an animal 1
services district may be annexed to and become a part thereof upon 2
petition and an election held pursuant thereto. The petition must 3
define the territory proposed to be annexed and must be signed by 25 4
registered voters, resident within the territory proposed to be 5
annexed, unless the territory is within the limits of another city 6
when it must be signed by 20 percent of the registered voters 7
residing within the territory proposed to be annexed. The petition 8
must be addressed to the board of animal services commissioners 9
requesting that the question be submitted to the legal voters of the 10
territory proposed to be annexed, whether they will be annexed and 11
become a part of the animal services district.12
NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. Upon the filing of an annexation petition 13
with the board of animal services commissioners, if the commissioners 14
concur in the petition, they shall provide for a hearing to be held 15
for the discussion of the proposed annexation at the office of the 16
board of animal services commissioners, and shall give due notice 17
thereof by publication at least once a week for two consecutive weeks 18
before the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the 19
animal services district.20
NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. If the board of animal services 21
commissioners concur in the petition, they shall cause the proposal 22
to be submitted to the electors of the territory proposed to be 23
annexed, at an election to be held in the territory, which must be 24
called, canvassed, and conducted in accordance with the general 25
election laws. The board of animal services commissioners by 26
resolution shall fix a time for the holding of the election to 27
determine the question of annexation, and in addition to the notice 28
required by RCW 29A.52.355 shall give notice thereof by causing 29
notice to be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a 30
newspaper of general circulation in the animal services district, and 31
by posting notices in five public places within the territory 32
proposed to be annexed in the district.33
The ballot to be used at the election must be in the following 34
form: 35
"□ For annexation to animal services district.36
□ Against annexation to animal services district."37
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 17. The board of animal services 1
commissioners of any animal services district which includes a city 2
with a population greater than 100,000 may submit to the electorate 3
of the territory sought to be annexed a proposition that all property 4
within the area annexed, upon annexation, be assessed and taxed at 5
the same rate and on the same basis as the property of such annexing 6
animal services district to pay for all or any portion of the then 7
outstanding indebtedness of the animal services district.8
NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. The canvassing authority shall cause a 9
statement of the result of such election to be forwarded to the board 10
of animal services commissioners for entry on the record of the 11
board. If the majority of the votes cast upon that question at the 12
election favor annexation, the territory immediately becomes annexed 13
to the animal services district, and is thenceforth a part of the 14
animal services district, the same as though originally included in 15
the district. The expense of such election must be paid out of animal 16
services district funds.17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 19. A board of commissioners of an animal 18
services district may, upon a majority vote of all its members, 19
dissolve in its entirety any animal services district, prorate the 20
liabilities thereof, and turn over to the city and/or county so much 21
of the district as is respectively located therein, when:22
(1) Such city and/or county, through its governing officials, 23
agrees to, and petitions for, such dissolution and the assumption of 24
such assets and liabilities; or 25
(2) Ten percent of the voters of such city and/or county who 26
voted at the last general election petition the governing officials 27
for such a vote. 28
NEW SECTION. Sec. 20. (1) As provided in this section, an 29
animal services district may withdraw areas from its boundaries, or 30
reannex areas into the animal services district that previously had 31
been withdrawn from the animal services district under this section.32
(2) The withdrawal of an area is authorized upon:33
(a) Adoption of a resolution by the animal services district 34
commissioners requesting the withdrawal and finding that, in the 35
opinion of the commissioners, inclusion of this area within the 36
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animal services district will result in a reduction of the district's 1
tax levy rate under the provisions of RCW 84.52.010; and2
(b) Adoption of a resolution by the city or town council 3
approving the withdrawal, if the area is located within the city or 4
town, or adoption of a resolution by the county legislative authority 5
of the county within which the area is located approving the 6
withdrawal, if the area is located outside of a city or town. A 7
withdrawal is effective at the end of the day on the 31st day of 8
December in the year in which the resolutions are adopted, but for 9
purposes of establishing boundaries for property tax purposes, the 10
boundaries are established immediately upon the adoption of the 11
second resolution. The withdrawal of an area from the boundaries of 12
an animal services district does not exempt any property therein from 13
taxation for the purpose of paying the costs of redeeming any 14
indebtedness of the animal services district existing at the time of 15
the withdrawal. 16
(3) An area that has been withdrawn from the boundaries of an 17
animal services district under this section may be reannexed into the 18
animal services district upon: 19
(a) Adoption of a resolution by the animal services district 20
commissioners proposing the reannexation; and 21
(b) Adoption of a resolution by the city or town council 22
approving the reannexation, if the area is located within the city or 23
town, or adoption of a resolution by the county legislative authority 24
of the county within which the area is located approving the 25
reannexation, if the area is located outside of a city or town. The 26
reannexation is effective at the end of the day on the 31st day of 27
December in the year in which the adoption of the second resolution 28
occurs, but for purposes of establishing boundaries for property tax 29
purposes, the boundaries are established immediately upon the 30
adoption of the second resolution. Referendum action on the proposed 31
reannexation may be taken by the voters of the area proposed to be 32
reannexed if a petition calling for a referendum is filed with the 33
city or town council, or county legislative authority, within a 30-34
day period after the adoption of the second resolution, which 35
petition has been signed by registered voters of the area proposed to 36
be reannexed equal in number to ten percent of the total number of 37
the registered voters residing in that area. 38
(4) If a valid petition signed by the requisite number of 39
registered voters has been filed under subsection (3)(b) of this 40
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section, the effect of the resolutions must be held in abeyance and a 1
ballot proposition to authorize the reannexation must be submitted to 2
the voters of the area at the next special election date according to 3
RCW 29A.04.330. Approval of the ballot proposition authorizing the 4
reannexation by a simple majority vote authorizes the reannexation.5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 21. (1) As provided in this section, a city, 6
town, or county may withdraw that portion of the city, town, or 7
county from an animal services district that was formed under this 8
chapter when:9
(a) The governing body of a district, which is part of the 10
district, adopts a resolution and findings of fact supporting the 11
deannexation of that portion of the city, town, or county, which is 12
part of the district; and the governing body of a city, town, or 13
county, which is part of the district, adopts a resolution and 14
findings of fact supporting the deannexation of that portion of the 15
city, town, or county, which is part of the district;16
(b) Ten percent of the voters of such city or county who voted at 17
the last general election petition the governing officials for such a 18
vote; or 19
(c) A district located in a county with a population of 200,000 20
or more has not actively carried out any of the special purposes or 21
functions for which it was formed within the preceding consecutive 22
five-year period. 23
(2)(a) After adoption of the resolution approving the 24
deannexation, receipt of a valid petition signed by the requisite 25
number of registered voters, or determination that the district has 26
been inactive, the governing body of the city, town, or county, which 27
is part of the district, must draft a ballot title, give notice as 28
required by law for ballot measures, and perform other duties as 29
required to put the measure approving or not approving the 30
deannexation before the voters of the city, town, or county, which is 31
part of the district. 32
(b) The ballot proposition authorizing the deannexation from a 33
proposed animal services district must be submitted to the voters of 34
the district for their approval or rejection at the next general 35
election. The ballot measure is approved if greater than 50 percent 36
of the total persons voting on the ballot measure vote to approve the 37
deannexation. 38
p. 10 HB 1985
(3) The resolution under subsection (1) of this section and the 1
ballot under subsection (2) of this section must set forth the 2
specific land boundaries being deannexed from the district.3
(4) A deannexation under this section is effective at the end of 4
the day on the 31st day of December in the year in which the ballot 5
measure under subsection (2) of this section is approved.6
(5) The withdrawal of an area from the boundaries of an animal 7
services district does not exempt any property therein from taxation 8
for the purpose of paying the costs of redeeming any indebtedness of 9
the animal services district existing at the time of the withdrawal.10
(6)(a) An area that has been withdrawn from the boundaries of an 11
animal services district under this section may be reannexed into the 12
animal services district upon: 13
(i) Adoption of a resolution by the governing body proposing the 14
reannexation; and 15
(ii) Adoption of a resolution by the animal services district 16
approving the reannexation. 17
(b) The reannexation is effective at the end of the day on the 18
31st day of December in the year in which the adoption of the second 19
resolution occurs, but for purposes of establishing boundaries for 20
property tax purposes, the boundaries are established immediately 21
upon the adoption of the second resolution. 22
(c) Referendum action on the proposed reannexation may be taken 23
by the voters of the area proposed to be reannexed if a petition 24
calling for a referendum is filed with the animal services district, 25
within a 30-day period after the adoption of the second resolution, 26
which petition has been signed by registered voters of the area 27
proposed to be reannexed equal in number to ten percent of the total 28
number of the registered voters residing in that area.29
(d) If a valid petition signed by the requisite number of 30
registered voters has been so filed, the effect of the resolutions 31
must be held in abeyance and a ballot proposition to authorize the 32
reannexation must be submitted to the voters of the area at the next 33
special election date according to RCW 29A.04.330. Approval of the 34
ballot proposition authorizing the reannexation by a simple majority 35
vote authorizes the reannexation. 36
(7) For purposes of this section, "deannex" means to withdraw a 37
specified portion of land from an animal services district formed 38
under this chapter. 39
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 22. Sections 1 through 21 of this act 1
constitute a new chapter in Title 35 RCW.2
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