BILL REQ. #:  H-0698.1 

Read first time 01/26/11.   Referred to Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness.

     AN ACT Relating to intrastate mutual aid in the event of emergencies; amending RCW 38.52.040; and adding a new chapter to Title 38 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Assistance" means emergency responders and resources provided by a responding member jurisdiction in response to a request from a requesting member jurisdiction.
     (2) "Department" means the state military department.
     (3) "Emergency" means an event or set of circumstances that: (a) Demand immediate action to preserve public health, protect life, protect public property, or to provide relief to any stricken community overtaken by such occurrence; or (b) reach such a dimension or degree of destructiveness as to warrant the governor declaring a state of emergency pursuant to RCW 43.06.010.
     (4) "Emergency responder" means an employee of a responding member jurisdiction who is designated in writing by that responding member jurisdiction as possessing skills, qualifications, training, knowledge, or experience that may be needed, pursuant to a request for assistance under this chapter, for: (a) Response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency; or (b) participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency.
     (5) "Operational control" means the limited authority to direct tasks, assignments, and use of assistance provided pursuant to a request for assistance under this chapter to address: (a) Response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency; or (b) participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency. "Operational control" does not include any right, privilege, or benefit of ownership or employment such as disposition, compensation, wages, salary, pensions, health benefits, leave, seniority, discipline, promotion, hiring, or firing.
     (6) "Political subdivision" means any county, city, or town in the state of Washington.
     (7) "Requesting member jurisdiction" means a member jurisdiction that requests assistance from another member jurisdiction under this chapter.
     (8) "Resources" includes supplies, materials, equipment, facilities, energy, services, information, systems, and other assets except for emergency responders that may be needed, pursuant to a request for assistance under this chapter, for: (a) Response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency; or (b) participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency.
     (9) "Responding member jurisdiction" means a member jurisdiction providing or intending to provide assistance to a requesting member jurisdiction under this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The intrastate mutual aid system is established to provide for mutual assistance in an emergency among political subdivisions and federally recognized Indian tribes that choose to participate as member jurisdictions.
     (2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, member jurisdictions of the intrastate mutual aid system include:
     (a) A political subdivision; and
     (b) Any federally recognized Indian tribe located within the boundaries of the state of Washington upon receipt by the department of a tribal government resolution declaring its intention to be a member jurisdiction in the intrastate mutual aid system under this chapter.
     (3)(a) A member jurisdiction is released from membership in the intrastate mutual aid system established under this chapter upon receipt by the department of a resolution or ordinance declaring that the member jurisdiction elects not to participate in the system.
     (b) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to affect other mutual aid systems or agreements otherwise authorized by law, nor preclude a political subdivision or Indian tribe from entering or participating in those mutual aid systems or agreements.
     (4) Mutual assistance may be requested by, and provided to, member jurisdictions under this chapter for: (a) Response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency; or (b) participation in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A member jurisdiction may request assistance from other member jurisdictions under the intrastate mutual aid system for response, mitigation, or recovery activities related to an emergency, or to participate in drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency, subject to each of the following provisions:
     (1) Prior to requesting assistance, a requesting member jurisdiction must: (a) Have determined an emergency exists within its territorial limits consistent with applicable law, rule, regulation, code, ordinance, resolution, or other applicable legal authority; or (b) anticipate undertaking drills or exercises in preparation for an emergency.
     (2) The chief executive officer of a requesting member jurisdiction, or authorized designee, must request assistance directly from the chief executive officer, or authorized designee, of another member jurisdiction. If this request is verbal, it must be confirmed in writing within thirty days after the date of the request.
     (3) A responding member jurisdiction may withhold or withdraw requested assistance at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion.
     (4) A responding member jurisdiction shall designate in writing all assistance it provides to a requesting member jurisdiction at the time provided consistent with the guidelines and procedures developed by the intrastate mutual aid committee, and deliver copies of this documentation to the requesting member jurisdiction within thirty days after the assistance is provided.
     (5) The requesting member jurisdiction only has operational control of assistance provided under this chapter, which may not interfere with a responding member jurisdiction's right to withdraw assistance.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   An emergency responder holding a license, certificate, or other permit evidencing qualification in a professional, mechanical, or other skill, issued by the state of Washington or a political subdivision thereof, is deemed to be licensed, certified, or permitted in the requesting member jurisdiction for the duration of the emergency, drill, or exercise, subject to any limitations and conditions the chief executive officer of the requesting member jurisdiction may prescribe in writing.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   An emergency responder designated by a responding member jurisdiction under section 3(4) of this act, who dies or sustains an injury while providing assistance to a requesting member jurisdiction as an emergency responder under this chapter, is entitled to receive only the benefits otherwise authorized by law for death or injury sustained in the course of employment with the responding member jurisdiction. Any such benefits provided by a responding member jurisdiction to an emergency responder must be included in the true and full value of assistance provided for purposes of reimbursement under section 7 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   An emergency responder is not an employee of the requesting member jurisdiction and is not entitled to any right, privilege, or benefit of employment from the requesting member jurisdiction, including but not limited to, compensation, wages, salary, leave, pensions, health, or other advantage.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   (1) A requesting member jurisdiction shall reimburse a responding member jurisdiction for the true and full value of all assistance provided under this chapter. However, if authorized by law, a responding member jurisdiction may donate assistance provided under this chapter to a requesting member jurisdiction.
     (2) If a dispute regarding reimbursement arises between member jurisdictions, the member jurisdiction asserting the dispute shall provide written notice to the other identifying the reimbursement issues in dispute. If the dispute is not resolved within ninety days after receipt of the dispute notice by the other party, either party to the dispute may invoke binding arbitration to resolve the reimbursement dispute by giving written notice to the other party. Within thirty days after receipt of the notice invoking binding arbitration, each party shall furnish the other a list of acceptable arbitrators. The parties shall select an arbitrator; failing to agree on an arbitrator, each party shall select one arbitrator and the two arbitrators shall select a third arbitrator for an arbitration panel. Costs of the arbitration, including compensation for the arbitrator's services, must be borne equally by the parties participating in the arbitration and each party bears its own costs and expenses, including legal fees and witness expenses, in connection with the arbitration proceeding.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   For purposes of tort liability or immunity, an emergency responder of a responding member jurisdiction is considered an agent of the requesting member jurisdiction. No responding member jurisdiction or its officers or employees providing assistance under this chapter is liable for any act or omission while providing or attempting to provide assistance under this chapter in good faith. For purposes of this section, good faith does not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness.

Sec. 9   RCW 38.52.040 and 1995 c 269 s 1202 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There is hereby created the emergency management council (hereinafter called the council), to consist of not more than seventeen members who shall be appointed by the governor. The membership of the council shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of city and county governments, sheriffs and police chiefs, the Washington state patrol, the military department, the department of ecology, state and local fire chiefs, seismic safety experts, state and local emergency management directors, search and rescue volunteers, medical professions who have expertise in emergency medical care, building officials, and private industry. The representatives of private industry shall include persons knowledgeable in emergency and hazardous materials management. The council members shall elect a chairman from within the council membership. The members of the council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for their travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 as now existing or hereafter amended.
     (2) The emergency management council shall advise the governor and the director on all matters pertaining to state and local emergency management. The council may appoint such ad hoc committees, subcommittees, and working groups as are required to develop specific recommendations for the improvement of emergency management practices, standards, policies, or procedures. The council shall ensure that the governor receives an annual assessment of statewide emergency preparedness including, but not limited to, specific progress on hazard mitigation and reduction efforts, implementation of seismic safety improvements, reduction of flood hazards, and coordination of hazardous materials planning and response activities. The council or a subcommittee thereof shall periodically convene in special session and serve during those sessions as the state emergency response commission required by P.L. 99-499, the emergency planning and community right-to-know act. When sitting in session as the state emergency response commission, the council shall confine its deliberations to those items specified in federal statutes and state administrative rules governing the coordination of hazardous materials policy. The council shall review administrative rules governing state and local emergency management practices and recommend necessary revisions to the director.
     (3)(a) The intrastate mutual aid committee is created and is a subcommittee of the emergency management council. The intrastate mutual aid committee consists of not more than five members who must be appointed by the council chair from council membership. The chair of the intrastate mutual aid committee is the military department representative appointed as a member of the council. Meetings of the intrastate mutual aid committee must be held at least annually.
     (b) In support of the intrastate mutual aid system established in chapter 38.--- RCW (the new chapter created in section 11 of this act), the intrastate mutual aid committee shall develop and update guidelines and procedures to facilitate implementation of the intrastate mutual aid system by member jurisdictions, including but not limited to the following: Projected or anticipated costs; checklists and forms for requesting and providing assistance; recordkeeping; reimbursement procedures; and other implementation issues. These guidelines and procedures are not subject to the rule making requirements of chapter 34.05 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   Sections 1 through 8 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 38 RCW.