In 2019, the Legislature created the Washington Disaster Resiliency Work Group (Work Group) and directed it to study and make recommendations on natural disaster and resiliency activities.  The Work Group was required to review disaster mitigation and resiliency activities being conducted in Washington, other states, and the federal government, including how those activities are funded.  The Work Group was also required to make recommendations to the Legislature and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner regarding whether the state should create an ongoing disaster resiliency program.  On November 30, 2020, the Work Group issued its final report which included a recommendation to create an ongoing resiliency program and a description of the activities and coordination in which the program should engage. 

"Resiliency" means the ability to prepare, mitigate, plan for, withstand, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events and changing conditions, and reorganize in an equitable manner that results in a new and better condition.

The Washington state Office of Resiliency (Office) is established within the Office of the Governor for the purpose of coordinating increased resiliency against catastrophic disasters to better assist the people of Washington state recover from these damaging events.  The Office must be administered by an executive Director who is appointed by the Governor.

The Office must engage in the following activities:

• develop and administer a statewide resiliency strategy and track and communicate the progress of the state resiliency strategy;
• produce an annual report to the governor and the legislature on the activities of the office;
• conduct and coordinate research, data collection, and analysis;
• assist in the coordination of funding and research economic tools to address resiliency;
• conduct policy research and make recommendations;
• develop, coordinate, and communicate resiliency initiatives and projects;
• serve as a public-private resiliency resource center;
• enhance collaboration, education, and outreach programs; and
• other activities the executive director deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the office.

The Office of Resiliency Advisory Board (Board) is created within the Office to provide guidance and recommendations relating to the Office's resiliency programs and activities.  The Board's membership must include four legislative members, one member from each of the two major caucuses of the House of Representatives and Senate, and additional members appointed by the executive Director representing tribal governments, private entities, state agencies, local authorities, academia, special purpose districts, subject-matter experts, historically marginalized groups, communities of color, people with disabilities, people who can improve language access, and people from economically and geographically diverse backgrounds.