BILL REQ. #: S-4811.1
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2006 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/02/06.
AN ACT Relating to wildfire prevention and protection; creating new sections; making an appropriation; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The wildfire prevention and protection work
group is established. The work group consists of the following
members:
(1) Two members representing counties that contain significant
forest land, grazing land, or both, at least one each from eastern and
western Washington, selected by the Washington state association of
counties;
(2) A member representing a city that contains significant forest
land, grazing land, or both, selected by the association of Washington
cities;
(3) Three members representing fire districts that contain
significant forest land, grazing land, or both, at least one each from
eastern and western Washington, selected by the state fire
commissioners association;
(4) Two members representing environmental protection
organizations, selected by the executive director of the Washington
state conservation commission;
(5) A member representing industrial forest landowners, selected by
the Washington forest protection association;
(6) A member representing small forest landowners, selected by the
Washington farm forestry association;
(7) A member representing the building industry, selected by the
building industry association of Washington;
(8) A member representing realtors, selected by the Washington
association of realtors;
(9) One representative of agriculture selected by the Washington
farm bureau;
(10) One contract logger selected by the contract loggers
association;
(11) One person selected by the Washington cattlemens association;
(12) One person from the Washington state patrol's fire protection
program;
(13) Two forest landowners with large forest lands, one from east
of the crest of the Cascade mountains and one from west of the crest of
the Cascade mountains;
(14) The insurance commissioner, or the commissioner's designee;
(15) A member representing the Washington state building code
council, selected by the chair of the council; and
(16) The commissioner of public lands, or the commissioner's
designee.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The wildfire prevention and protection
work group shall review existing fire studies conducted by or for the
department of natural resources, the joint legislative audit and review
committee, and other organizations. The work group shall review the
following issues:
(a) Whether the forest fire protection assessment rate provides
sufficient funding towards the protection of public and private lands
from wildfires;
(b) Whether the statutory limitations on the purposes for which
moneys collected through the forest fire protection assessment and from
the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account may be
expended are warranted;
(c) Whether the term "forest land," as set forth in RCW 76.04.005,
properly defines the scope of land on which the forest fire protection
assessment should be assessed;
(d) Whether forest fire protection assessments are currently being
collected from all lands on which the department of natural resources
has the duty to impose such assessments;
(e) Whether the adoption of elements from wildfire programs of
other western states would improve wildfire protection and suppression
in Washington state;
(f) Whether the department of natural resources' authority to
protect forest land should include the authority to protect structures;
(g) Whether improvements and efficiencies in the department of
natural resources' fire protection activities would impact fire
suppression activities and expenses;
(h) Whether state and local building codes adequately address the
dangers posed by development in areas subject to wildfires;
(i) Whether local government land use regulations, and state
advisory and assistance programs, adequately address the dangers posed
by development in areas subject to wildfires; and
(j) Whether insurance rates in Washington state reflect the dangers
posed by development in areas subject to wildfires.
(2) Members of the forest fire prevention and protection work group
shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and
43.03.060.
(3) The work group must be staffed by senate committee services and
the office of program research.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 The wildfire prevention and protection work
group shall report its findings and recommendations in the form of
draft legislation to the legislature by December 1, 2006.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 The sum of thirty-five thousand dollars, or
as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 2007, from the general fund to the senate for the
travel expenses of the wildfire prevention and protection work group.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 This act expires July 1, 2007.