Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee
ESB 6087
Brief Description: Concerning the fire service training account.
Sponsors: Senators King, Lovick and Mullet; by request of Washington State Patrol.
Brief Summary of Engrossed Bill
  • Increases the percentage of fire insurance premium taxes that are deposited into the Fire Service Training Account from 20 percent to 22 percent.
Hearing Date: 2/22/24
Staff: Emily Stephens (786-7157).
Background:

Fire Insurance Premiums.

A tax is collected on fire insurance premiums.  Taxes collected on fire insurance premiums are distributed in the following manner:

  • 40  percent to the Volunteer Firefighters' Relief and Pension Principal Fund;
  • 25 percent to the Firefighters' Pension Fund;
  • 20 percent to the Fire Service Training Account (Account); and
  • 15 percent to the State General Fund.


Fire Service Training Account.

In addition to fire insurance premium taxes, revenue into the Account consists of:

  • fees received by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) for fire service training;
  • revenue from penalties collected from certain violations of the State Building Code related to fire and smoke control systems testing;
  • grants and bequests received by the WSP; and
  • State General Fund amounts appropriated into the Account by the Legislature.


The Account may be used for fire service training; school fire prevention activities within the WSP; maintenance, operations, and capital projects of the State Fire Training Academy; and the operation of the Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Training Program.
Summary of Bill:

Twenty-two percent of fire insurance premium taxes received by the state are deposited into the Account.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.