AN ACT Relating to federal emergency management agency funding; and amending 38.52.010, 38.52.030, 38.52.070, and 38.52.170.

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

Sec. 1. Section 3, chapter 178, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 23, chapter 266, Laws of 1986 and RCW 38.52.010 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Emergency management" or "comprehensive emergency management" means the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, other than functions for which the military forces are primarily responsible, to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters, and to aid victims suffering from injury or damage, resulting from disasters caused by all hazards, whether natural or man-made, and to provide support for search and rescue operations for persons and property in distress. ((~~However, "emergency management" or "comprehensive emergency management" does not mean preparation for emergency evacuation or relocation of residents in anticipation of nuclear attack.~~))

(2) "Local organization for emergency services or management" means an organization created in accordance with the provisions of this chapter by state or local authority to perform local emergency management functions.

(3) "Political subdivision" means any county, city or town.

(4) "Emergency worker" means any person who is registered with a local emergency management organization or the department of community development and holds an identification card issued by the local emergency management director or the department of community development for the purpose of engaging in authorized emergency management activities or is an employee of the state of Washington or any political subdivision thereof who is called upon to perform emergency management activities.

(5) "Injury" as used in this chapter shall mean and include accidental injuries and/or occupational diseases arising out of emergency management activities.

(6) "Emergency or disaster" as used in this chapter shall mean an event or set of circumstances which: (a) Demands immediate action to preserve public health, protect life, protect public property, or to provide relief to any stricken community overtaken by such occurrences, or (b) reaches such a dimension or degree of destructiveness as to warrant the governor declaring a state of emergency pursuant to RCW 43.06.010.

(7) "Search and rescue" means the acts of searching for, rescuing, or recovering by means of ground, marine, or air activity any person who becomes lost, injured, or is killed while outdoors or as a result of a natural or man-made disaster, including instances involving searches for downed aircraft when ground personnel are used. Nothing in this section shall affect appropriate activity by the department of transportation under chapter 47.68 RCW.

(8) "Executive head" and "executive heads" means the county executive in those charter counties with an elective office of county executive, however designated, and, in the case of other counties, the county legislative authority. In the case of cities and towns, it means the mayor.

(9) "Director" means the director of community development.

(10) "Local director" means the director of a local organization of emergency management or emergency services.

(11) "Department" means the department of community development.

Sec. 2. Section 4, chapter 178, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 25, chapter 266, Laws of 1986 and RCW 38.52.030 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 for the state which shall include an analysis of the natural and man-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, 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) 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) 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) The director may appoint a communications coordinating committee consisting of six to eight persons with the director, or his or her designee, as chairman thereof. Three of the members shall be appointed from qualified, trained and experienced telephone communications administrators or engineers actively engaged in such work within the state of Washington at the time of appointment, and three of the members shall be appointed from qualified, trained and experienced radio communication administrators or engineers actively engaged in such work within the state of Washington at the time of appointment. This committee 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) 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.

(8) 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 or man-made disaster, as defined by RCW 38.52.010(6). 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.

(9) 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 response;

(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.

Sec. 3. Section 8, chapter 178, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 28, chapter 266, Laws of 1986 and RCW 38.52.070 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Each political subdivision of this state is hereby authorized and directed to establish a local organization for emergency management in accordance with the state emergency management plan and program: PROVIDED, That a political subdivision proposing such establishment shall submit its plan and program for emergency management to the state director and secure his or her recommendations thereon, and certification for consistency with the state comprehensive emergency management plan, in order that the plan of the local organization for emergency management may be coordinated with the plan and program of the state. ((~~No political subdivision may be required to include in its plan provisions for the emergency evacuation or relocation of residents in anticipation of nuclear attack.~~)) If the director's recommendations are adverse to the plan as submitted, and, if the local organization does not agree to the director's recommendations for modification to the proposal, the matter shall be referred to the council for final action. The director may authorize two or more political subdivisions to join in the establishment and operation of a local organization for emergency management as circumstances may warrant, in which case each political subdivision shall contribute to the cost of emergency management upon such fair and equitable basis as may be determined upon by the executive heads of the constituent subdivisions. If in any case the executive heads cannot agree upon the proper division of cost the matter shall be referred to the council for arbitration and its decision shall be final. When two or more political subdivisions join in the establishment and operation of a local organization for emergency management each shall pay its share of the cost into a special pooled fund to be administered by the treasurer of the most populous subdivision, which fund shall be known as the .......... emergency management fund. Each local organization for emergency management shall have a director who shall be appointed by the executive head of the political subdivision, and who shall have direct responsibility for the organization, administration, and operation of such local organization for emergency management, subject to the direction and control of such executive officer or officers. In the case of a jointly established and operated organization for emergency management, the director shall be appointed by the joint action of the executive heads of the constituent political subdivisions. Each local organization for emergency management shall perform emergency management functions within the territorial limits of the political subdivision within which it is organized, and, in addition, shall conduct such functions outside of such territorial limits as may be required pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(2) In carrying out the provisions of this chapter each political subdivision, in which any disaster as described in RCW 38.52.020 occurs, shall have the power to enter into contracts and incur obligations necessary to combat such disaster, protecting the health and safety of persons and property, and providing emergency assistance to the victims of such disaster. Each political subdivision is authorized to exercise the powers vested under this section in the light of the exigencies of an extreme emergency situation without regard to time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law (excepting mandatory constitutional requirements), including, but not limited to, budget law limitations, requirements of competitive bidding and publication of notices, provisions pertaining to the performance of public work, entering into contracts, the incurring of obligations, the employment of temporary workers, the rental of equipment, the purchase of supplies and materials, the levying of taxes, and the appropriation and expenditures of public funds.

Sec. 4. Section 20, chapter 178, Laws of 1951 as last amended by section 30, chapter 266, Laws of 1986 and RCW 38.52.170 are each amended to read as follows:

Whenever the director finds that it will be in the interest of the emergency management of this state or of the United States, the director may, with the approval of the governor, agree with the federal government, or any agency thereof carrying on activities within this state, upon a plan of emergency management applicable to a federally owned area, which plan may or may not conform to all of the other provisions of this chapter with the view to integrating federally owned areas into the comprehensive plan and program of the emergency management of this state. Such plan may confer upon persons carrying out such plan any or all of the rights, powers, privileges and immunities granted employees or representatives of the state and/or its political subdivisions by this chapter. ((~~The plan of emergency management authorized under this section may not include preparation for emergency evacuation or relocation of residents in anticipation of nuclear attack.~~))