SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5020

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

Government Operations & Security, January 27, 2015

Ways & Means, February 23, 2015

Note: Senate Resolution 8609 adopted January 27, 2015, renamed the Committee on Government Operations & State Security to Committee on Government Operations & Security

Title: An act relating to the state agencies continuity of operations planning requirements.

Brief Description: Concerning state agencies continuity of operations planning requirements.

Sponsors: Senators Bailey, McCoy, Hobbs, Pedersen, Conway, Schoesler, Rolfes and Chase; by request of Military Department.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Security (Note: Senate Resolution 8609 adopted January 27, 2015, renamed the Committee on Government Operations & State Security to Committee on Government Operations & Security): 1/22/15, 1/27/15 [DP-WM].

Ways & Means: 2/09/15, 2/23/15 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & SECURITY

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Pearson, Vice Chair; Liias, Ranking Minority Member; Habib and McCoy.

Staff: Karen Epps (786-7424)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: Do pass.

Signed by Senators Hill, Chair; Braun, Vice Chair; Dammeier, Vice Chair; Honeyford, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Hargrove, Ranking Member; Keiser, Assistant Ranking Member on the Capital Budget; Ranker, Ranking Minority Member, Operating; Bailey, Becker, Billig, Brown, Conway, Fraser, Hasegawa, Hatfield, Hewitt, Kohl-Welles, O'Ban, Padden, Parlette, Rolfes, Schoesler and Warnick.

Staff: Julie Murray (786-7711)

Background: The Military Department administers the state's comprehensive program of emergency management. The Adjutant General is responsible for developing a comprehensive, all-hazard emergency plan for the state that includes an analysis of natural, technological, or human-caused hazards, and procedures to coordinate local and state resources in responding to such hazards.

Governor Inslee issued Directive 13-02 in March 2013 that requires each individual agency, board, commission, and council to develop a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) for their organization. Each agency, board, commission, and council head will conduct a review of and exercise their COOP to ensure that:

employee contact lists are current;
the plan identifies staff who perform essential functions, that those staff members know their responsibilities, and that they have access to phones and other technology to carry out those responsibilities;
procedures exist to determine the status of the organization, i.e. open, closed, or delayed;
procedures exist for updating organizational websites in a timely manner to reflect current organizational status, i.e. open, closed, or delayed;
procedures exist for internal and external communication when normal methods may be disrupted, including information on whether the organization is open or closed; and
performance of the organizational critical functions, including technology systems that support those functions, are possible when disruptions occur due to to an emergency or disaster.

Summary of Bill: The Military Department must provide for the prioritization, development, and exercise of COOPs by the state. The Adjutant General is responsible to the Governor for developing and implementing a program for interagency coordination of continuity of operations planning by state agencies. Each state agency is responsible for developing an organizational COOP that is updated and exercised annually in compliance with the program for interagency coordination of continuity of operations planning.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Government Operations & Security): PRO: This bill allows state agencies to plan for contingencies in the event of a disaster. Continuity of operations planning is critical to ensure that essential services can be delivered to citizens in the event of an emergency or disaster. There have been Governor’s directives requiring state agencies to do this within their existing budgets. This bill will put that directive into state law and will extend this planning to all state offices, including offices led by separately elected officials and will ensure the requirement continues beyond the current administration.

Persons Testifying (Government Operations & Security): PRO: Senator Bailey, prime sponsor; Robert Ezelle, Military Dept.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Ways & Means): PRO: This bill is supported by state agencies, elected officials, and others. The bill defines elements of a COOP plan, which is intended to ensure that critical services continue during a disaster or other emergency. The bill adds the legal requirement of agency COOP planning to ensure that planning continues beyond the state directives first issued by Governor Gregoire and then continued under Governor Inslee.

Persons Testifying (Ways & Means): PRO: Peter Antolin, WA Military Department, Emergency Management Division.