SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5301
As of February 3, 2025
Title: An act relating to extending governmental services from cities to tribal lands.
Brief Description: Concerning extending governmental services from cities to tribal lands.
Sponsors: Senators Braun, Cleveland, Kauffman and Wilson, J..
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Local Government: 2/06/25.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows a federally recognized Indian tribe and a city to agree to extend urban governmental services beyond the city and urban growth areas to tribal property under certain conditions.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Staff: Karen Epps (786-7424)
Background:

Growth Management Act. The Growth Management Act (GMA) is the comprehensive land use planning framework for counties and cities in Washington. The GMA establishes land use designation and environmental protection requirements for all Washington counties and cities. The GMA also establishes a significantly wider array of planning duties for 28 counties, and the cities within those counties, that are obligated to satisfy all planning requirements of the GMA.

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Urban Growth Areas. Counties that fully plan under the GMA must designate urban growth areas (UGAs), within which urban growth must be encouraged and outside of which growth may occur only if it is not urban in nature. UGAs must contain sufficient areas and densities to accommodate projected urban growth for the succeeding 20-year period. Fully planning counties must review the designated UGAs, patterns of development within the UGAs, and the densities permitted within the incorporated and unincorporated portions of each UGA during the regularly scheduled comprehensive review update cycle.

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Urban Governmental Services. Cities are the units of local government most appropriate to provide urban governmental services. Urban governmental services include those public services that are typically provided in cities, including storm and sewer systems, domestic water systems, public transit, public safety, and other services associated with urban areas and not associated with rural areas. It is not appropriate that urban governmental services be extended to or expanded in rural areas except in those limited circumstances shown to be necessary to protect basic public health and safety and the environment and when such services are financially supportable at rural densities and do not permit urban development.
Summary of Bill:

By December 31, 2028, a federally recognized Indian tribe and a city located in a county touching the Columbia River with a population of greater than 500,000 may agree to extend urban governmental services beyond the city and urban growth areas to property within the federally recognized Indian tribe's jurisdiction that abuts the city's boundaries.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.