On page 4, after line 5, insert the following:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  "A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the advisory committee on first responder occupational disease presumption, subsequently referred to in this section as the advisory committee, is established. The purposes of the advisory committee are to review scientific evidence and to make recommendations to the legislature on additional diseases or disorders for inclusion under RCW 51.32.185.

(2) The director shall appoint nine voting members to the advisory committee and appoint the research director of the department's safety and health assessment and research for prevention program as the advisory committee chair. The advisory committee chair is not a voting member of the committee.

(a) The nine voting members of the advisory committee must be composed of:

(i) Two members representing occupations covered under RCW 51.32.185;

(ii) Two members representing employers with workers covered under RCW 51.32.185;

(iii) Two epidemiologists;

(iv) Two preventive medicine physicians; and

(v) One industrial hygienist.

(b) Advisory committee members are appointed for a term of four years and may be reappointed. Advisory committee members shall not be compensated for their work on the advisory committee. As a condition of appointment, voting members of the advisory committee described under (a)(iii) through (v) of this subsection and the advisory committee chair must have no past or current financial or personal conflicts of interest related to the advisory committee activities. Voting members of the advisory committee may not be current employees of the department.

(3) Any requests to review scientific evidence and to make recommendations to the legislature, on specific disorders or diseases, or specific occupations for inclusion under RCW 51.32.185, must be initiated by the chair or ranking member of the appropriate committee or committees of the legislature by notifying the director.

(4) The process of developing an advisory committee recommendation must include a thorough review of the scientific literature on the disease and disorder, relevant exposures, and strength of the association between the specific occupations and the disease or disorder proposed for inclusion in RCW 51.32.185. Consideration must be given to the relevance, quality, and quantity of the literature and data. The advisory committee may consult nationally recognized experts or subject matter experts in developing their recommendations. The advisory committee must provide a recommendation to the legislature within one hundred eighty days of a request by the legislature.

(5) Each recommendation must include:

(a) A written description of the scientific evidence and supporting information relied upon to assess the causal relationship between the occupation and health condition proposed for inclusion under RCW 51.32.185; and

(b) Estimates of the number of Washington workers at risk, the prevalence of the disease or disorder, and the medical treatment and disability costs should, if available. Any recommendation must be made by a majority of advisory committee's voting members. Any member of the advisory committee may provide a written dissent as an appendix to the committee's recommendation.

(6) The department's safety and health assessment and research for prevention program must provide organizational and scientific support to the advisory committee. Scientific support must include, for consideration of the advisory committee, preliminary written reviews of the scientific literature on the disease and disorder, relevant exposures, and strength of the association between the specific occupations and the health condition or disorders proposed for inclusion in RCW 51.32.185."

On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "Relating to" strike the remainder of the title and insert "the presumption of occupational disease for purposes of workers' compensation by establishing a process to add medical conditions to the presumption; amending RCW 51.32.185; and adding a new section to chapter 51.32 RCW."

EFFECT: Establishes the Advisory Committee on First Responder Occupational Disease Presumption to review scientific evidence and to make recommendations to the legislature on additional diseases or disorders for inclusion under the statute for occupational disease for firefighters. Describes the committee members, purposes, recommendation process, and reporting requirements.