AN ACT Relating to the creation of a work group to study and make recommendations on natural disaster mitigation and resiliency activities; and adding new sections to chapter 48.02 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 48.02 RCW to read as follows:

Residents of this state have been impacted by natural disasters such as floods, landslides, wildfires, and earthquakes and continue to be at risk from these and other natural disasters. In 2016, insured losses from natural disasters in the United States totaled almost twenty-four billion dollars. In 2015, this state's wildfire season was the largest in Washington state history, burning more than one million acres and costing more than two hundred fifty-three million dollars. In 2016, almost two hundred ninety-four thousand acres burned in Washington state and there were more than four hundred thirty national flood insurance program (nfip) claims filed, totaling over seven million dollars. It is critical that more be done to better prepare this state for disasters and to put in place strategies to mitigate the impacts of the disasters. To address this critical need, the legislature is creating a work group that will review disaster mitigation and preparation projects in other states and those currently being done in this state and make recommendations for how this state's efforts to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters can be expanded and coordinated and whether or not an ongoing disaster resiliency program should be created.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 48.02 RCW to read as follows:

A working group to study and make recommendations on natural disaster and resiliency activities is hereby created. The working group membership shall be composed of:

(1) The insurance commissioner or his or her designee, who shall be the chair of the working group;

(2) One member from each of the four major caucuses of the legislature. The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives. Legislative members of the working group are reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120;

(3) A representative from the governor's resilient Washington work group;

(4) A representative from the Washington state association of counties;

(5) A representative from the association of Washington cities;

(6) A representative from the state building code council;

(7) The supervisor of the department of natural resources or his or her designee;

(8) The director of the Washington state military department or his or her designee;

(9) Two representatives from the property and casualty insurance industry to be selected by the office of the insurance commissioner;

(10) The director of the department of ecology or his or her designee;

(11) The superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee;

(12) A representative from the Washington association of building officials; and

(13) The director of the department of commerce or his or her designee.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 48.02 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The working group will engage in the following activities:

(a) Review disaster mitigation and resiliency activities being done in this state by public and private entities;

(b) Review disaster mitigation and resiliency activities being done in other states and at the federal level including how other states fund their risk mitigation activities and programs;

(c) Review information on uptake in this state for disaster-related insurance, such as flood and earthquake;

(d) Review information on how other states are coordinating disaster mitigation and resiliency work and the work of entities such as the California earthquake authority;

(e) Make recommendations to the legislature and the office of the insurance commissioner on:

(i) Whether this state should create an ongoing disaster resiliency program;

(ii) What activities the program should engage in;

(iii) How the program should coordinate with state agencies and other entities engaged in disaster mitigation and resiliency work;

(iv) Where the program should be housed; and

(v) How the program should be funded;

(f) Invite at their discretion other agencies and stakeholders to participate in specific topics or subcommittees.

(2) The working group shall meet during the 2018 interim and make their recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2018.

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