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Council hears warning on House Bill 1258; CRESSA and staff say bill risks fragmenting 911 dispatch
Summary
County staff and members of regional emergency services (CRESSA) urged the Clark County Council to oppose House Bill 1258, saying the narrowly targeted Spokane bill could set a statewide precedent to split 911 dispatch funding and services. Council asked staff to draft a letter and requested a briefing and tour from CRESSA.
Jordan Bogie, Clark County policy analyst, briefed council March 19 on House Bill 1258, a measure that would change how 911 excise tax dollars are allocated at the local level and which staff said is narrowly written to address a Spokane City–Spokane County dispute.
"The bill specifically targets, as in literally the bill is written, to say it only impacts counties East of the Cascades with the population over whatever number," Bogie said, summarizing the bill's current text and its narrowly targeted scope. County staff and CRESSA (the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency) urged caution, saying a statutory change that codifies distribution rules for one county could be amended in future sessions and applied statewide, risking fragmentation of a regionally coordinated dispatch system.
Staff described concerns that the bill captures both local and state portions of the 911 excise tax, potentially forcing state-level distribution of funds intended for local intergovernmental agreements. Kathleen, council legal counsel and a member of CRESSA's board, said that fragmentation would reduce economies of scale and weaken capacity for smaller jurisdictions that rely on county-based infrastructure and shared technology.
Hearing the briefing, several councilors favored sending a letter opposing the bill and requested a fuller briefing from CRESSA director(s). Council members also asked for a site tour; three councilors (Young, Fuentes and Little) indicated interest in touring the CRESSA facility.
Ending
Councilors directed staff to draft a letter reflecting the council's concerns and to coordinate a briefing and tour with CRESSA leadership. Staff said it would work with CRESSA to prepare draft language and return to the council for review.
