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144F.01 FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICTS. Subdivision 1.Definitions.For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given. (a) "Political subdivision" means a county, a statutory or home rule charter city, or a township organized to provide town government. (b) "Governing body" means a city council for a city, a county board for a county, and a board of supervisors for a town. (c) "Emergency medical services" means supporting the providing of out-of-hospital emergency medical services including but not limited to first responder or rescue squads recognized by the district, ambulance services licensed under chapter 144E and recognized by the district, medical control functions set out in chapter 144E, communications equipment and systems, and programs of regional emergency medical services authorized by regional boards described in section 144E.52. Subd. 2.Authority to establish.(a) Two or more political subdivisions may establish, by resolution of their governing bodies, a special taxing district to provide fire protection or emergency medical services, or both, in the area of the district, comprising the jurisdiction of each of the political subdivisions forming the district. For a county that participates in establishing a district, the county's jurisdiction comprises the unorganized territory of the county that it designated in its resolution for inclusion in the district. The area of the special taxing district need not be contiguous or its boundaries continuous. (b) Before establishing a district under this section, the participating political subdivisions must enter into an agreement that specifies how any liabilities, other than debt issued under subdivision 6, and assets of the district will be distributed if the district is dissolved. The agreement may also include other terms, including a method for apportioning the levy of the district among participating political subdivisions under subdivision 4, paragraph (b), as the political subdivisions determine appropriate. The agreement must be adopted no later than upon passage of the resolution establishing the district under paragraph (a), but may be later amended by agreement of each of the political subdivisions participating in the district. (c) If two or more political subdivisions that currently operate separate fire departments seek to merge fire departments into one fire department, or if a political subdivision with an existing fire department requests to join a special taxing district with an established fire department, the resolution under paragraph (a) or agreement under paragraph (b) must specify which, if any, volunteer firefighter pension plan is associated with the district. A special taxing district that operates a fire department under this section may be associated with only one volunteer firefighters relief association or one account in the statewide volunteer firefighter plan at one time. (d) If the special taxing district includes the operation of a fire department, it must file its resolution establishing the fire protection special taxing district, and any agreements required for the establishment of the special taxing district, with the commissioner of revenue, including any subsequent amendments. If the resolution or agreement does not include sufficient information defining the fire department service area of the fire protection special taxing district, the secretary of the district board must file a written statement with the commissioner defining the fire department service area. Subd. 3.Board.The special taxing district established under this section is governed by a board made up initially of representatives of each participating political subdivision in the proportions set out in the establishing resolution, subject to change as provided in the district's charter, if any, or in the district's bylaws. Official Publication of the State of Minnesota Revisor of Statutes 144F.01MINNESOTA STATUTES 20221