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Committee sends House Bill 102 to floor to ease dissolution process for recreation districts
Summary
House Bill 102, sponsored by Representative Jeff Ehlers, would allow a majority of a recreation district's board to file the initial petition for dissolution (in addition to the existing 20% signature option). The committee approved a due-pass recommendation and sent the bill to the House floor by voice vote.
The House Local Government Committee voted to send House Bill 102 to the full House with a due-pass recommendation. The bill, sponsored by Representative Jeff Ehlers (District 21, Meridian), would add a second initial pathway to dissolve a recreation district: a majority of the district's board of directors could submit the petition to start the dissolution process, after which the matter would go to voters.
"This is just adding another option on step 1 for the majority of the board of directors of that district can submit a petition, and then it still needs to go to the vote," Representative Jeff Ehlers told the committee. He said the change applies only to recreation districts, not other taxing districts, and that it was prompted by a local example in West Ada where population growth made the signature requirement far larger than when the district was created.
Representative Ehlers said West Ada Recreation District once required about 1,000 signatures to dissolve; today that would be roughly 19,000, while a statewide initiative requires about 62,000 signatures. He said the district continues to collect property tax revenue, noting its next budget is about $50,000 and was nearly $400,000 a year or two ago.
Committee members supported the motion but raised concerns about unintended consequences. Representative Birch said his reservation was that the change could let a small number of people on a five-member board (for example, two seated members and three vacancies) start a dissolution that ultimately vests property title in the county, which could then sell or dispose of assets. Birch asked for guardrails to prevent unintended outcomes. Representative Price said the bill still requires a voter decision and that the committee's review should proceed based on the language before them.
Representative Alfieri moved that the committee send H 102 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; no roll-call tally appears in the transcript. Sponsors and members said additional research and possible drafting adjustments could occur before the bill reaches the floor.
