5247-S AMH HOUS H5057.2
 
SSB 5247 - H COMM AMD
By Committee on Housing, Community Development & Veterans
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that the widespread impact of damage, casualties, and displacement of people resulting from a catastrophic incident makes it one of the most important topics in emergency management today. A catastrophic incident can result in tens of thousands of casualties and displaced people, and significantly disrupt the functioning of our infrastructure and economy; will almost immediately exceed the resources normally available to state, tribal, local, and private sector authorities for response; and will significantly disrupt governmental operations, schools, and the availability of emergency services. The characteristics of the precipitating event will severely aggravate the response strategy and quickly exhaust the capabilities and resources available in the impacted area, requiring significant resources from outside the area.
(2) The legislature further finds that joint local, state, and federal agencies must plan and prepare to provide extraordinary levels of lifesaving, life-sustaining, and other resources necessary to respond to the no notice or short notice hazard represented by a seismic catastrophic incident. Schools with their large number of vulnerable children, will need focused additional assistance to plan for seismic risks.
Sec. 2. RCW 38.52.030 and 2019 c 471 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The director may employ such personnel and may make such expenditures within the appropriation therefor, or from other funds made available for purposes of emergency management, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
(2) The director, subject to the direction and control of the governor, shall be responsible to the governor for carrying out the program for emergency management of this state. The director shall coordinate the activities of all organizations for emergency management within the state, and shall maintain liaison with and cooperate with emergency management agencies and organizations of other states and of the federal government, and shall have such additional authority, duties, and responsibilities authorized by this chapter, as may be prescribed by the governor.
(3) The director shall develop and maintain a comprehensive, all-hazard emergency plan and a catastrophic incident emergency response plan for the state which shall include an analysis of the natural, technological, or human-caused hazards which could affect the state of Washington, and shall include the procedures to be used during emergencies for coordinating local resources, as necessary, and the resources of all state agencies, departments, commissions, and boards. The comprehensive emergency management plan shall direct the department in times of state emergency to administer and manage the state's emergency operations center. This will include representation from all appropriate state agencies and be available as a single point of contact for the authorizing of state resources or actions, including emergency permits. The comprehensive emergency management plan must specify the use of the incident command system for multiagency/multijurisdiction operations. The comprehensive, all-hazard emergency plan authorized under this subsection may not include preparation for emergency evacuation or relocation of residents in anticipation of nuclear attack. This plan shall be known as the comprehensive emergency management plan.
(4) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the director may develop guidance, in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, that may be used by local school districts in developing, maintaining, training, and exercising catastrophic incident plans.
(5) In accordance with the comprehensive emergency management plans and the programs for the emergency management of this state, the director shall procure supplies and equipment, institute training programs and public information programs, and shall take all other preparatory steps, including the partial or full mobilization of emergency management organizations in advance of actual disaster, to insure the furnishing of adequately trained and equipped forces of emergency management personnel in time of need.
(((5)))(6) The director shall make such studies and surveys of the industries, resources, and facilities in this state as may be necessary to ascertain the capabilities of the state for emergency management, and shall plan for the most efficient emergency use thereof.
(((6)))(7) The emergency management council shall advise the director on all aspects of the communications and warning systems and facilities operated or controlled under the provisions of this chapter.
(((7)))(8) The director, through the state enhanced 911 coordinator, shall coordinate and facilitate implementation and operation of a statewide enhanced 911 emergency communications network.
(((8)))(9) The director shall appoint a state coordinator of search and rescue operations to coordinate those state resources, services and facilities (other than those for which the state director of aeronautics is directly responsible) requested by political subdivisions in support of search and rescue operations, and on request to maintain liaison with and coordinate the resources, services, and facilities of political subdivisions when more than one political subdivision is engaged in joint search and rescue operations.
(((9)))(10) The director, subject to the direction and control of the governor, shall prepare and administer a state program for emergency assistance to individuals within the state who are victims of a natural, technological, or human-caused disaster, as defined by RCW 38.52.010(((6)))(9). Such program may be integrated into and coordinated with disaster assistance plans and programs of the federal government which provide to the state, or through the state to any political subdivision thereof, services, equipment, supplies, materials, or funds by way of gift, grant, or loan for purposes of assistance to individuals affected by a disaster. Further, such program may include, but shall not be limited to, grants, loans, or gifts of services, equipment, supplies, materials, or funds of the state, or any political subdivision thereof, to individuals who, as a result of a disaster, are in need of assistance and who meet standards of eligibility for disaster assistance established by the department of social and health services: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That nothing herein shall be construed in any manner inconsistent with the provisions of Article VIII, section 5 or section 7 of the Washington state Constitution.
(((10)))(11) The director shall appoint a state coordinator for radioactive and hazardous waste emergency response programs. The coordinator shall consult with the state radiation control officer in matters relating to radioactive materials. The duties of the state coordinator for radioactive and hazardous waste emergency response programs shall include:
(a) Assessing the current needs and capabilities of state and local radioactive and hazardous waste emergency response teams on an ongoing basis;
(b) Coordinating training programs for state and local officials for the purpose of updating skills relating to emergency mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery;
(c) Utilizing appropriate training programs such as those offered by the federal emergency management agency, the department of transportation and the environmental protection agency; and
(d) Undertaking other duties in this area that are deemed appropriate by the director.
(((11)))(12) The director is responsible to the governor to lead the development and management of a program for interagency coordination and prioritization of continuity of operations planning by state agencies. Each state agency is responsible for developing an organizational continuity of operations plan that is updated and exercised annually in compliance with the program for interagency coordination of continuity of operations planning.
(((12)))(13) The director shall maintain a copy of the continuity of operations plan for election operations for each county that has a plan available.
(((13)))(14) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the director is responsible to the governor to lead the development and management of a program to provide information and education to state and local government officials regarding catastrophic incidents and continuity of government planning to assist with statewide development of continuity of government plans by all levels and branches of state and local government that address how essential government functions and services will continue to be provided following a catastrophic incident."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: Removes provisions to create a functional recovery task force. Removes definitions of "functional recovery standard," "emergency services building," and "catastrophic incident." Updates underlying provisions of the bill to account for changes in statute made by legislation passed in the previous session.
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