| Passed by the House April 20, 2005 Yeas 95 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 13, 2005 Yeas 40 ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1652 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/28/05.
AN ACT Relating to authorizing fire protection districts to establish or participate in health clinic services; amending RCW 52.02.020; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 52.02.020 and 2003 c 309 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Fire protection districts for the provision of fire prevention
services, fire suppression services, emergency medical services, and
for the protection of life and property in areas outside of cities and
towns, except where the cities and towns have been annexed into a fire
protection district or where the district is continuing service
pursuant to RCW 35.02.202, are authorized to be established as provided
in this title.
(2) In addition to other services authorized under this section,
fire protection districts that share a common border with Canada and
are surrounded on three sides by water or are bounded on the north by
Bremerton, on the west by Mason county, on the south by Pierce county,
and on the east by the Puget Sound, may also establish or participate
in the provision of health clinic services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The department of health shall conduct a
study to evaluate the merits of allowing fire protection districts to
establish or participate in the provision of health clinic services.
(1) The study shall consider any relevant matters, including but
not limited to: The scope of the services which might be provided, the
interest among Washington's fire protection districts in providing
these services, the need for having them do so, the impact on overall
health expenditures of allowing health services to be provided this
way, potential government liability, and patient health and safety
issues.
(2) The secretary of health shall appoint an advisory group of
affected parties, including local physicians and other health care
providers, to assist in the study.
(3) The department shall report the results of the study and any
recommendations to the legislature by September 1, 2006. At a minimum,
the recommendations shall include: (a) The criteria and process which
should be used to evaluate requests by fire protection districts to
establish or participate in the provision of health clinic services;
and (b) any other statutory or administrative changes needed to address
the concerns identified.