HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2267

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to the disaster response account.

Brief Description:  Creating the disaster response account.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by  Representatives Huff, H. Sommers, Hatfield, Kessler, Lambert, Ogden, Dickerson, Kenney and Wensman; by request of Office of Financial Management).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  3/27/97, 4/2/97 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  4/14/97, 90‑0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 30 members:  Representatives Huff, Chairman; Alexander, Vice Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Wensman, Vice Chairman; H. Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Doumit, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Gombosky, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Benson; Carlson; Chopp; Cody; Cooke; Crouse; Dyer; Grant; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Lambert; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McMorris; Parlette; Poulsen; Regala; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Jeff Olsen (786-7157).

Background:  Washington experienced four major natural disasters during the 1995-97 biennium that resulted in millions of dollars worth of damages to public and private property.  Due to the magnitude of the damages, presidential disaster declarations were granted.  The Emergency Management Division in the Military Department, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), administers state and local disaster recovery efforts.

Once the President declares a disaster, the state becomes eligible for federal assistance under programs administered by the FEMA.  To receive federal assistance under one of these programs, 25 percent matching funds are usually required.  During the 1995-97 biennium, the Legislature transferred General Fund-State money to the Flood Control Assistance Account in order to pay for state and local matching funds.  The Flood Control Assistance Account is administered by the Department of Ecology and is used to provide grants to local governments for flood control planning and structures.

Summary of Bill:  A Disaster Response Account is created in the state treasury.  Moneys may be appropriated from the account only to support state agency and local government disaster response and recovery efforts.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  None.