H-1855              _______________________________________________

                                           SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 639

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By House Committee on Energy & Utilities (originally sponsored by Representatives Nelson, Rust, P. King and Todd)

Read first time 3/4/87 and passed to Committee on Rules.

AN ACT Relating to a department of nuclear safety; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     High among concerns leading to consideration of a department of nuclear safety is the state's response capability to a nuclear (radiological) accident.  The legislature finds that prerequisite to a decision concerning a new department is a careful assessment of the state's nuclear accident response capability.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The department of community development, with assistance from the department of social and health services and other agencies as appropriate, shall study the nuclear accident response capability of the state and report to the legislature by December 31, 1987.  The study shall focus on the adequacy of the state capability, including available qualified personnel and relevant equipment for command, control, and communications, for radiation monitoring and barrier control, and for medical treatment and personnel safety precautions.  Additionally, the extent of training and status of emergency response plans shall be considered as well as funding necessary to develop and maintain an adequate nuclear response capability relevant to all facilities in the state with a potential for a nuclear accident.