SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6100
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Ways & Means, February 5, 2024
Title: An act relating to making expenditures from the budget stabilization account for declared catastrophic events.
Brief Description: Making expenditures from the budget stabilization account for declared catastrophic events.
Sponsors: Senators Robinson and Nguyen; by request of Office of Financial Management.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 1/22/24, 2/05/24 [DPS].
Brief Summary of First Substitute Bill
  • Authorizes appropriations from the Budget Stabilization Account for fire mobilization and suppression.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6100 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Robinson, Chair; Mullet, Vice Chair, Capital; Nguyen, Vice Chair, Operating; Wilson, L., Ranking Member, Operating; Gildon, Assistant Ranking Member, Operating; Schoesler, Ranking Member, Capital; Rivers, Assistant Ranking Member, Capital; Warnick, Assistant Ranking Member, Capital; Billig, Boehnke, Braun, Conway, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Hunt, Keiser, Muzzall, Pedersen, Randall, Saldaña, Torres, Van De Wege, Wagoner and Wellman.
Staff: Jed Herman (786-7346)
Background:

In 2007 the voters ratified a constitutional amendment that created the Budget Stabilization Account (BSA) as Article VII, section 12 of the Washington Constitution. In general, appropriations from the BSA require a three-fifths majority in each house of the Legislature, but in the case of a catastrophic event or low employment growth, the Legislature may appropriate from the BSA with a constitutional majority vote of each house.

 

On August 19, 2023, the Governor declared a state of emergency for all of Washington because of the high risk of wildfires throughout the state.
Summary of Bill (First Substitute):

For fiscal year 2024, $19.395 million is appropriated to the Department of Natural Resources for fire suppression costs incurred during the 2023 fire season. The BSA appropriations do not alter the requirement to balance the budget in the ensuing biennium under the state's four-year balanced budget requirement, also known as the State Budget Outlook.
EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE (First Substitute):

Updates the appropriation amount that is eligible to cover fire suppression costs consistent with the Governor?s declared state of emergency from $19,395,000 to $21,143,000. 
Appropriation: The bill contains an appropriation totaling $21,143,000 from the Budget Stabilization Account.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill:

The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO:  For the 2023 fire season, these were your communities that were impacted.  The use of the BSA is consistent with prior measures taken by the Legislature for paying for wildfire costs.
Persons Testifying: PRO: K.D. Chapman-See, Office of Financial Management.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.