HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2182

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to port district fire fighters.

Brief Description:  Providing transfer rights to certain port district fire fighters.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Kremen, Mielke, Eide, King, Linville and H. Myers).

Brief History:

Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, January 25, 1994, DPS;

  Passed House, February 8, 1994, 91-0;

  Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Springer, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dunshee; R. Fisher; Horn; Moak; Rayburn; and Van Luven.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  In 1986 the Legislature enacted legislation that authorized fire fighters to transfer employment into a city, town, or fire protection district if the employee: was going to lose his or her job as a direct consequence of a consolidation, merger, incorporation, or annexation; was principally performing duties that are to be performed in the new fire protection agency; and met the minimum requirements of the position.

These transfer rights were only provided to fire fighters employed by cities, towns, and fire protection districts.  Fire fighters employed by port districts do not have these same transfer rights.

Summary of Bill:  A fire fighter who is employed by a port district may transfer employment to a city or fire protection district in the same manner and under the same conditions as a fire fighter employed by a city or fire protection district following an annexation, merger, consolidation or incorporation.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Airport fire fighters must pass a federally certified crash program.  These fire fighters were not considered when the 1986 legislation passed.  Few fire fighters are affected.

Testimony Against:  Port fire fighters are not trained the same as traditional fire fighters.  They do not have the requisite qualifications.  It is difficult to prove that a person isn't qualified.

Witnesses:  Howard Vietzke, Washington State Council of Fire Fighters (pro); Stan Finkelstein, Association of Washington Cities (con); and Scott Taylor, Washington Public Ports Association (neutral).