H-0374.2          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 1193

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Representatives Zellinsky, Franklin, Nealey, Haugen, Bray, Wynne, Cooper, Rayburn, Winsley, R. Meyers and Scott.

Read first time January 23, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Local Government.Modifying compensation conditions for fire commissioners who serve as volunteer fire fighters.

     AN ACT Relating to fire commissioners serving as volunteer fire fighters; and amending RCW 52.14.010.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 52.14.010 and 1985 c 330 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     The affairs of the district shall be managed by a board of fire commissioners composed of three resident electors of the district except as provided in RCW 52.14.015 and 52.14.020.  Each member shall each receive fifty dollars per day or portion thereof, not to exceed four thousand eight hundred dollars per year, for attendance at board meetings and for performance of other services in behalf of the district.

     In addition, they shall receive necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the board or when otherwise engaged in district business, and shall be entitled to receive the same insurance available to all ((firemen)) fire fighters of the district:  PROVIDED, That the premiums for such insurance, except liability insurance, shall be paid by the individual commissioners who elect to receive it.

     Any commissioner may waive all or any portion of his or her compensation payable under this section as to any month or months during his or her term of office, by a written waiver filed with the secretary as provided in this section. The waiver, to be effective, must be filed any time after the commissioner's election and prior to the date on which said compensation would otherwise be paid.  The waiver shall specify the month or period of months for which it is made.

     The board shall fix the compensation to be paid the secretary and all other agents and employees of the district.  The board may, by resolution ((adopted by unanimous vote)), authorize any of its members to serve as a volunteer ((firemen)) fire fighter without compensation.  A commissioner actually serving as a volunteer ((fireman)) fire fighter may enjoy the rights and benefits of a volunteer ((fireman)) fire fighter.  Reimbursement for expenses as a volunteer fire fighter is not considered compensation.

     The first commissioners shall take office immediately when qualified in accordance with RCW 29.01.135 and shall serve until after the next general election for the selection of commissioners and until their successors have been elected and have qualified and have assumed office in accordance with RCW 29.04.170.