BILL REQ. #: H-1943.3
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2007 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/15/07.
AN ACT Relating to wildfire prevention and protection; creating new sections; 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, or the appointee's designee, representing counties
that contain significant forest land, grazing land, or both, at least
one each from eastern and western Washington, selected by the governor
in consultation with a statewide association representing the interests
of counties;
(2) A member, or the appointee's designee, representing a city that
contains significant forest land, grazing land, or both, selected by
the governor in consultation with a statewide association representing
the interests of cities;
(3) Three members, or the appointee's designee, 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 marshal in consultation with a statewide association
representing the interests of fire commissioners;
(4) Two members, or the appointee's designee, representing
environmental protection organizations, selected by the executive
director of the Washington state conservation commission;
(5) A member, or the appointee's designee, representing industrial
forest landowners, selected by the governor in consultation with a
statewide association representing the interests of industrial
landowners;
(6) A member, or the appointee's designee, representing small
forest landowners, selected by the governor in consultation with a
statewide association representing the interests of small forest
landowners;
(7) A member, or the appointee's designee, representing the home
building industry, selected by the governor in consultation with a
statewide association representing the interests of the home building
industry;
(8) A member, or the appointee's designee, representing realtors,
selected by the governor in consultation with a statewide association
representing the interests of realtors;
(9) One representative, or the appointee's designee, of agriculture
selected by the director of the department of agriculture in
consultation with a statewide association representing the interests of
farmers;
(10) One contract logger, or the appointee's designee, selected by
the governor in consultation with a statewide association representing
the interests of contract loggers;
(11) One person, or the appointee's designee, selected by the
director of the department of agriculture in consultation with a
statewide association representing the interests of cattlemen;
(12) One person, or the appointee's designee, from the Washington
state patrol's fire protection program selected by the state fire
marshal;
(13) One representative of fire chiefs, or the appointee's
designee, selected by the state fire marshal, in consultation with a
statewide association representing the interests of fire chiefs;
(14) One retired professional forester, or the appointee's
designee, selected by the governor in consultation with an association
representing the interests of professional foresters;
(15) Two forest landowners with large forest lands, or the
appointee's designee, one from east of the crest of the Cascade
mountains and one from west of the crest of the Cascade mountains,
selected by the governor;
(16) The insurance commissioner, or the insurance commissioner's
designee;
(17) A member representing the Washington state building code
council, or the appointee's designee, selected by the chair of the
council; and
(18) The commissioner of public lands, or the commissioner's
designee.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The wildfire prevention and protection
work group created in section 1 of this act 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, infrastructure
planning, community wildlife prevention programs, incentive programs,
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 the department of natural
resources.
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, 2007.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2007, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 This act expires July 1, 2008.