00HOUSE BILL NO. 18                                                                                                       
01 "An Act relating to police protection service areas in municipalities."                                                 
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  AS 29.10.200 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read:                                             
04   (51)  AS 29.35.495 (police protection service areas)                                                                 
05    * Sec. 2.  AS 29.35 is amended by adding a new section to article 7 to read:                                         
06  Sec. 29.35.495.  POLICE PROTECTION SERVICE AREAS.  (a)  The                                                           
07 residents of an area in a municipality may file a petition with the municipal clerk for                                 
08 formation of a police protection service area.  The petition form shall be supplied by                                  
09 the clerk at the request of a voter.  The petition must describe the boundaries of the                                  
10 proposed service area and the additional police protection services to be provided by                                   
11 the Department of Public Safety in the area and shall be signed by a number of voters                                   
12 residing in the proposed service area equal to at least 10 percent of the number of                                     
13 residents in the area who voted in the last regular election.                                                           
14  (b)  Upon receipt of a petition that meets the requirements of (a) of this section,                                   

01 the municipal clerk shall submit the petition to the commissioner of public safety.                                     
02 Within 30 days after receipt of the petition the commissioner shall notify the clerk of                                 
03 what the estimated actual cost of providing the services in the proposed service area                                   
04 each month will be for a three-year period.                                                                             
05  (c)  Upon receipt by the clerk of notification of the estimated actual cost of                                        
06 providing the additional services in the proposed police protection service area, the                                   
07 question of forming the proposed service area and of levying assessments to cover that                                  
08 estimated cost shall be placed before the voters residing in the proposed service area                                  
09 during the next regular or special election held in the municipality.  If the question is                               
10 approved by a majority of those voting on the question, the service area is formed and                                  
11 the commissioner of public safety shall provide the additional services in that area.                                   
12  (d)  The governing body shall levy assessments in the service area to finance                                         
13 the additional police protection services in an amount equal to the estimated actual cost                               
14 provided by the commissioner of public safety.  Payments shall be made to the                                           
15 commissioner by the municipality on a yearly or monthly basis, as determined by the                                     
16 commissioner.  The municipality may not deduct money collected from assessments                                         
17 for administrative or other costs incurred by the municipality.                                                         
18  (e)  At least once every three years an election shall be held by the                                                 
19 municipality in a police protection service area formed under this section on the                                       
20 question of continuation of the service area.  The commissioner of public safety shall                                  
21 submit a revised notice of the estimated actual cost of providing the services during                                   
22 the next three years for inclusion with the question.  If the question is not approved                                  
23 by a majority of the residents voting on the question, the service area is dissolved 120                                
24 days after certification of the election.  If the question is approved, the rate of                                     
25 assessments shall be adjusted by the municipality based upon the commissioner's                                         
26 notice.                                                                                                                 
27  (f)  This section applies to home rule and general law municipalities.