BILL REQ. #:  H-0445.1 

Read first time 01/14/2003.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to protecting persons who provide volunteer emergency services; and adding a new section to chapter 4.24 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 4.24 RCW to read as follows:
     Any person, including but not limited to contractors, builders, tradespeople, and other providers of construction, remodel, or repair services, who, without compensation or the expectation of compensation, renders emergency repairs to any structure at the scene of any accident, disaster, or emergency that has caused or resulted in damage to the structure is not liable for civil damages resulting from any act or omission in the rendering of such emergency repairs, other than acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. Any person rendering emergency repairs during the course of regular employment and receiving compensation or expecting to receive compensation for rendering such repairs is excluded from the protection of this section.
     For the purposes of this section, "accident, disaster, or emergency" includes an earthquake, windstorm, hurricane, landslide, flood, volcanic eruption, explosion, fire, or any similar occurrence.