H-4371.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2853
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2002 Regular Session
By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Morris, Hurst, Schmidt, Barlean, Buck, Simpson, Schual‑Berke, Cooper, Haigh, Benson, Ballasiotes, O'Brien, Anderson, Chase, Upthegrove, Linville and Rockefeller)
Read first time 02/12/2002. Referred to Committee on .
AN ACT Relating to emergencies involving critical infrastructure arising from terrorist acts; adding new sections to chapter 38.52 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the legislature recognizes that the state's and the region's security, economic prosperity, and social well-being depend on the reliable functioning of increasingly complex infrastructures. The legislature further recognizes that it is the government's responsibility to participate in and facilitate the development of a regional approach to protecting this state's and the region's critical infrastructures. Because of mutual dependence and the increasing interconnectedness of infrastructures for energy systems, water systems, transportation systems, and communications systems, these infrastructures may be vulnerable in ways not yet recognized. Many of these facilities are privately owned and operated. In developing a coordinated regional approach to protecting critical infrastructures, it is important to include a broad set of viewpoints and expertise from both the public and private sector.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The military department shall develop a plan for the identification, assessment, and prioritization of protection for infrastructure that is critical to state and regional economic stability and security. This plan shall be developed by the military department with participation as needed from the emergency management council and its subcommittees and from the department of community, trade, and economic development, department of information systems, Washington state patrol, department of transportation, utilities and transportation commission, department of health, department of ecology, and any other agencies the military department deems necessary for plan development.
(2) In developing the plan required by this section, the military department shall study, evaluate, and make recommendations on methods to:
(a) Identify the appropriate types of infrastructure to be considered critical to state and regional economic stability and security;
(b) Identify the types of information needed and the public and private sector sources of information essential to identifying infrastructures critical to economic stability and security;
(c) Assess the vulnerability of the various critical infrastructures identified; and
(d) Prioritize those infrastructures most in need of protection.
(3) The council shall submit the plan required by this section to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than December 1, 2002.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 RCW to read as follows:
Within its existing resources and to the extent practicable, the military department and other state agencies identified in section 2(1) of this act shall participate in any efforts by public or private sector interests to develop regional plans for management and restoration of critical functions. Participation may require coordination with other states, federal agencies, and neighboring nations.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act expires July 1, 2004.
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