Title: An act relating to activation of the national guard.

Brief Description: Concerning the activation of the national guard.

Sponsors: Senators Pridemore, Schmidt, McAuliffe and Kohl-Welles; by request of Governor Gregoire.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 2/28/05 [DP].

Passed Senate: 3/14/05, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Benton, Fairley, Haugen, Kline, McCaslin, Mulliken and Pridemore.

Staff: Cindy Fazio (786-7405)

Background: The Governor has the power to order the organized militia of Washington into active service for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, war, insurrection, rebellion, invasion, and whenever responsible civil authorities fail to preserve law and order or protect life or property.

When the militia is called into active service for these reasons, bills, claims, demands for military purposes, and warrants for pay and expenses are drawn from the existing funds for those purposes.

Summary of Bill: The Governor has the power to order the organized militia of Washington into active service for the additional following reasons: when required for the public health, safety, or welfare; to perform any military duty authorized by state law; or to prepare for, or recover from any of these events or the consequences of them.

When the organized militia performs duties, other than anticipated planning, training, exercises, and other administrative duties not of an emergent nature, bills, claims, demands for military purposes, and warrants for allowed pay and expenses are drawn from the existing funds for those purposes.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: This is a small change to the Governor's authority but will make a big difference in the military's response time. The military can now complete necessary training prior to deployment in response to an emergency. For example, in order to respond to fighting forest fires, a training session is required. If we cannot do this training prior to the fire fighting request, our response time will be affected by the need for the training.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Gordon Toney, Washington Military Department; Antonio Ginatta, Governor's Executive Policy Advisor.