8404.E AMH REAM LUND 67

ESCR 8404 ‑ H AMD 960

By Representative Reams

On page 1, line 1, beginning with "WHEREAS" strike the remainder of the resolution and insert:

"WHEREAS, The residents of Washington should be safe from life and property loss due to fire; and

WHEREAS, Many of Washington's existing residential, commercial, storage, and other buildings are not constructed using modern fire prevention and suppression standards; and

WHEREAS, Residents of the state have suffered significant life and property loss in fires occurring in such buildings; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature recognizes that substantial financial and administrative burdens are associated with altering these buildings to meet modern fire prevention and suppression standards and that it is difficult for the owners of such buildings to finance these costs; and

WHEREAS, There has been little progress by local jurisdictions to address these issues;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the State of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a Joint Select Committee on Fire Suppression be established to:

(1) Investigate the problems of insufficient fire prevention features and inadequate fire suppression features in existing buildings in Washington state, and costs associated with altering these buildings to include such features;

(2) Review the actions of other jurisdictions nation-wide to address the issues of insufficient fire prevention features and inadequate fire suppression features in existing buildings, and costs associated with altering these buildings to include such features; and

(3) Make recommendations to the legislature and to the governor regarding ways that the state, local jurisdictions, fire protection services, and the private sector can work cooperatively to reduce the financial and administrative burdens to alter existing buildings to include such features, including possible tax incentives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That:

(1) The joint select committee consist of eight voting members, two from each major caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives to be appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively;

(2) The State Fire Marshal shall be an ex officio nonvoting member of the joint select committee;

(3) A member of the state building code council, appointed by action of the council, shall be an ex officio nonvoting member of the joint select committee;

(4) The members of the joint select committee shall select from among their voting members a chair and other officers as the joint select committee deems appropriate;

(5) The joint select committee may appoint as needed to carry out its duties the following:

(a) Subcommittees; and

(b) Advisory groups of nonmembers;

(6) The Senate Committee Services and the House of Representatives Office of Program Research shall provide staffing for the joint select committee; and

(7) All expenses and hiring of additional staff shall be subject to the approval of the Senate Facilities and Operations Committee and the House of Representatives Executive Rules Committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 1996."