H-3346.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2385

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2002 Regular Session

By Representatives Jackley, Schmidt, Simpson, Barlean, Hurst, Ballasiotes, Benson, Haigh, Morell and Miloscia

Read first time 01/16/2002.  Referred to Committee on State Government.

Adding members to the emergency management council.

    AN ACT Relating to membership of the emergency management council; and amending RCW 38.52.040.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 38.52.040 and 1995 c 269 s 1202 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) There is hereby created the emergency management council (hereinafter called the council), to consist of not more than ((seventeen)) twenty-one members who shall be appointed by the governor.  The membership of the council shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of city and county governments, sheriffs and police chiefs, the Washington state patrol, the military department, the department of ecology, state and local fire chiefs, seismic safety experts, state and local emergency management directors, search and rescue volunteers, medical professions who have expertise in emergency medical care, building officials, and private industry.  Four of the members of the council shall be appointed as at large members not representing any of the aforementioned agencies, experts, or groups.  The representatives of private industry shall include persons knowledgeable in emergency and hazardous materials management.  The council members shall elect a chairman from within the council membership.  The members of the council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for their travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 as now existing or hereafter amended.

    (2) The emergency management council shall advise the governor and the director on all matters pertaining to state and local emergency management.  The council may appoint such ad hoc committees, subcommittees, and working groups as are required to develop specific recommendations for the improvement of emergency management practices, standards, policies, or procedures.  The council shall ensure that the governor receives an annual assessment of statewide emergency preparedness including, but not limited to, specific progress on hazard mitigation and reduction efforts, implementation of seismic safety improvements, reduction of flood hazards, and coordination of hazardous materials planning and response activities.  The council or a subcommittee thereof shall periodically convene in special session and serve during those sessions as the state emergency response commission required by P.L. 99-499, the emergency planning and community right-to-know act.  When sitting in session as the state emergency response commission, the council shall confine its deliberations to those items specified in federal statutes and state administrative rules governing the coordination of hazardous materials policy.  The council shall review administrative rules governing state and local emergency management practices and recommend necessary revisions to the director.

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