Extensive testimony on annexation amendment; committee chair withdraws Senate Bill 126

Summary

Members of the House Local Government Committee heard hours of testimony on an amended version of Senate Bill 126, an annexation reform bill, including a substantial amendment that would end involuntary annexation and create a regulated "super voluntary" noncontiguous process; the chair ultimately withdrew the bill from consideration.

The House Local Government Committee spent extensive time hearing testimony and questions on Senate Bill 126 and an offered amendment before the chair formally withdrew the bill.

Representative Katrina Hall presented Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 126, which Representative Hall said "accomplishes 2 key objectives while also trying to...make several refinements to streamline the voluntary process." The amendment would eliminate involuntary annexation and remonstrance waivers, require municipalities to collect signatures from 51% of landowners for future voluntary annexations, and create a narrow "super voluntary" pathway for noncontiguous annexation under several conditions.

Under the amendment, a super voluntary noncontiguous annexation would be allowed only if: the annexation area lies within two miles of a municipality's existing boundary; county commissioners hold a hearing within 30 days and adopt a resolution within 60 days (failure to act would…

Extensive testimony on annexation amendment; committee chair withdraws Senate Bill 126

Summary

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