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REFERENCE TITLE: countywide fire districts |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-first Legislature First Regular Session 2013
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SB 1282 |
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Introduced by Senators Crandell, Burges; Representatives Barton, Borrelli
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AN ACT
amending Title 48, chapter 5, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 48-823; relating to fire districts.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 48, chapter 5, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 48-823, to read:
48-823. Countywide fire districts; transition; transfer; exemption
A. Beginning July 1, 2016, each county shall contain a single, countywide fire district with boundaries that are coterminous with the boundaries of that county and that is governed by the county board of supervisors acting as the board of directors of the countywide fire district.
B. A countywide fire district may levy a countywide secondary property tax as prescribed in section 48-805 and issue and sell bonds as prescribed in section 48-806, and shall assume all of the powers and duties of fire districts granted under this chapter except that a countywide fire district shall not levy or collect a fire district assistance tax pursuant to section 48-807.
C. Beginning January 1, 2014, each fire district in a county shall provide the county board of supervisors with full access to its financial, accounting, ownership and employment records and shall submit a comprehensive listing of its assets and liabilities to the county board of supervisors on or before January 1, 2015. The county board of supervisors shall develop a unified plan of operation for providing fire service beginning on July 1, 2016, including location of stations, levels of staffing and equipment and all other matters previously within the authority of the various fire districts.
D. On July 1, 2016, all assets and liabilities of each fire district in a county shall be transferred to the county board of supervisors. This transfer occurs by operation of law, but the board members or elected chief and secretary-treasurer of each fire district and its employees shall cooperate with the county board of supervisors to effectuate the transfer. Beginning on July 1, 2016, the board members or elected chief and secretary‑treasurer of each fire district and its employees shall retain only that legal authority reasonably necessary to wind up the affairs of the fire district as prescribed by the county board of supervisors and as otherwise required by law.
E. A city or town fire department is exempt from this section.
Sec. 2. Conforming legislation
The legislative council staff shall prepare proposed legislation conforming the Arizona Revised Statutes to the provisions of this act for consideration in the fifty-first legislature, second regular session.