WA HB1985

Animal services districts may be created as municipal corporations to provide sheltering, medical care, adoption services, pet licensing, temporary emergency housing, and humane law enforcement across one or more cities and/or counties

Districts can be formed through local government resolution or citizen petition signed by at least 15% of registered voters in the proposed area, with creation requiring majority voter approval at a general or special election

Districts are governed by a five-member elected board of commissioners or by ex officio designation of existing city/county governing bodies, with elected commissioners serving staggered six-year terms

Districts may levy property taxes up to 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, issue general obligation bonds up to 0.25% of taxable property value without voter approval (or 2.5% with three-fifths voter approval), and issue revenue bonds

Territory may be annexed to existing districts through petition and election, and districts may be dissolved by majority vote of commissioners when cities/counties agree to assume assets and liabilities, or withdrawn through voter-approved deannexation