00CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 18(CRA)                                                                                           
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 for services to be provided by the                                        
09 Department of Public Safety.  The petition form shall be supplied by the clerk at the                                   
10 request of a voter.  The petition must describe the boundaries of the proposed service                                  
11 area and the additional police protection services to be provided by the Department of                                  
12 Public Safety in the area and shall be signed by a number of voters residing in the                                     
13 proposed service area equal to at least 10 percent of the number of residents in the                                    
14 area who voted in the last regular election.                                                                            

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