H-4465              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 2630

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Jesernig, R. Meyers, Ballard, Hargrove, Padden, H. Myers, Moyer, Rayburn, D. Sommers, Wineberry, Hankins, Inslee, Dorn, G. Fisher, R. Fisher, R. King, Appelwick, Vekich, Sprenkle, Wang, Crane, Grant, Rasmussen, Zellinsky, McLean, Baugher, Kremen, Walker, Wood, Rector, Cooper, Dellwo, Sayan, Gallagher, Schmidt, Peery, Fraser, Basich, Prentice, Leonard, Pruitt, Scott, Phillips, Winsley, Betrozoff, Jones, Ebersole, Brekke, Morris, Braddock, Todd, Spanel and Anderson)

Read first time 2/2/90.

AN ACT Relating to the professional rescuer doctrine; and adding a new section to chapter 4.24 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 4.24 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The common law "professional rescuer doctrine" is abrogated.

          (2) The right to recover damages for death, personal injury, or property loss caused by the negligence of another may not be denied or limited by the fact that the death, injury, or loss was incurred by a person acting in an official capacity or for compensation while performing a rescue operation.

          (3) This section applies to any cause of action arising on or after the effective date of this section.

          (4) Nothing in this section is intended to affect the operation of Title 51 RCW with respect to administrative or legal actions for injury or death.