Bill > S281

Introduced Session

This bill requires public questions allowing a fire district to exceed the permissible property tax levy increase to be submitted for voter approval at the general election. Under current law, the legal voters at an annual fire district election held on the third Saturday in February are authorized to determine the amount of money to be raised for the ensuing year. If the amount of money proposed to be raised for the ensuing year would exceed the permissible property tax levy increase, a public question is required to be submitted to the legal voters to increase the amount to be raised by taxation by more than the allowable adjusted tax levy. Voter turnout is often much lower during elections that take place at a time other than the time of the general election. Therefore, this bill provides that only a fire district that holds its annual election at the time of the general election is authorized to ask the legal voters to determine whether to increase the amount to be raised by taxation by more than the allowable adjusted tax levy for the ensuing year through the submission of a public question. Under the bill, the board of fire commissioners of the fire district is required to notify the county or municipal clerk, as appropriate, of the need to conduct a referendum pursuant to this subsection at least 60 days before the date of the general election.

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Shirley Turner (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document