H-3117.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1952
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By House Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives
Volz, Ryu, Christian, Couture, Schmidt, Ramel, Graham, Schmick, and
Davis)
READ FIRST TIME 02/05/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to long-term community recovery after disasters;
2 amending RCW 38.52.030; and creating a new section.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
4 Sec. 1. RCW 38.52.030 and 2022 c 203 s 3 are each amended to
5 read as follows:
6 (1) The director may employ such personnel and may make such
7 expenditures within the appropriation therefor, or from other funds
8 made available for purposes of emergency management, as may be
9 necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
10 (2) The director, subject to the direction and control of the
11 governor, shall be responsible to the governor for carrying out the
12 program for emergency management of this state. The director shall
13 coordinate the activities of all organizations for emergency
14 management within the state, and shall maintain liaison with and
15 cooperate with emergency management agencies and organizations of
16 other states and of the federal government, and shall have such
17 additional authority, duties, and responsibilities authorized by this
18 chapter, as may be prescribed by the governor.
19 (3) The director shall develop and maintain a comprehensive, all-
20 hazard emergency plan for the state which shall include an analysis
21 of the natural, technological, or human-caused hazards which could
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 1 affect the state of Washington, and shall include the procedures to
2 be used during emergencies for coordinating local resources, as
3 necessary, and the resources of all state agencies, departments,
4 commissions, and boards. The comprehensive emergency management plan
5 shall direct the department in times of state emergency to administer
6 and manage the state's emergency operations center. This will include
7 representation from all appropriate state agencies and be available
8 as a single point of contact for the authorizing of state resources
9 or actions, including emergency permits. The comprehensive emergency
10 management plan must specify the use of the incident command system
11 for multiagency/multijurisdiction operations. The comprehensive, all-
12 hazard emergency plan authorized under this subsection may not
13 include preparation for emergency evacuation or relocation of
14 residents in anticipation of nuclear attack. This plan shall be known
15 as the comprehensive emergency management plan.
16 (4) In accordance with the comprehensive emergency management
17 plans and the programs for the emergency management of this state,
18 the director shall procure supplies and equipment, institute training
19 programs and public information programs, and shall take all other
20 preparatory steps, including the partial or full mobilization of
21 emergency management organizations in advance of actual disaster, to
22 insure the furnishing of adequately trained and equipped forces of
23 emergency management personnel in time of need.
24 (5) The director shall make such studies and surveys of the
25 industries, resources, and facilities in this state as may be
26 necessary to ascertain the capabilities of the state for emergency
27 management, and shall plan for the most efficient emergency use
28 thereof.
29 (6) The emergency management council shall advise the director on
30 all aspects of the communications and warning systems and facilities
31 operated or controlled under the provisions of this chapter.
32 (7) The director, through the state 911 coordinator, shall
33 coordinate and facilitate implementation and operation of a statewide
34 911 emergency communications network.
35 (8) The director shall appoint a state coordinator of search and
36 rescue operations to coordinate those state resources, services and
37 facilities (other than those for which the state director of
38 aeronautics is directly responsible) requested by political
39 subdivisions in support of search and rescue operations, and on
40 request to maintain liaison with and coordinate the resources,
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 1 services, and facilities of political subdivisions when more than one
2 political subdivision is engaged in joint search and rescue
3 operations.
4 (9) The director, subject to the direction and control of the
5 governor, shall prepare and administer a state program for emergency
6 assistance to individuals within the state who are victims of a
7 natural, technological, or human-caused disaster, as defined by RCW
8 38.52.010(13). Such program may be integrated into and coordinated
9 with disaster assistance plans and programs of the federal government
10 which provide to the state, or through the state to any political
11 subdivision thereof, services, equipment, supplies, materials, or
12 funds by way of gift, grant, or loan for purposes of assistance to
13 individuals affected by a disaster. Further, such program may
14 include, but shall not be limited to, grants, loans, or gifts of
15 services, equipment, supplies, materials, or funds of the state, or
16 any political subdivision thereof, to individuals who, as a result of
17 a disaster, are in need of assistance and who meet standards of
18 eligibility for disaster assistance established by the department of
19 social and health services: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That nothing herein
20 shall be construed in any manner inconsistent with the provisions of
21 Article VIII, section 5 or section 7 of the Washington state
22 Constitution.
23 (10) The director shall appoint a state coordinator for
24 radioactive and hazardous waste emergency response programs. The
25 coordinator shall consult with the state radiation control officer in
26 matters relating to radioactive materials. The duties of the state
27 coordinator for radioactive and hazardous waste emergency response
28 programs shall include:
29 (a) Assessing the current needs and capabilities of state and
30 local radioactive and hazardous waste emergency response teams on an
31 ongoing basis;
32 (b) Coordinating training programs for state and local officials
33 for the purpose of updating skills relating to emergency mitigation,
34 preparedness, response, and recovery;
35 (c) Utilizing appropriate training programs such as those offered
36 by the federal emergency management agency, the department of
37 transportation and the environmental protection agency; and
38 (d) Undertaking other duties in this area that are deemed
39 appropriate by the director.
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 1 (11) The director is responsible to the governor to lead the
2 development and management of a program for interagency coordination
3 and prioritization of continuity of operations planning by state
4 agencies. Each state agency is responsible for developing an
5 organizational continuity of operations plan that is updated and
6 exercised annually in compliance with the program for interagency
7 coordination of continuity of operations planning.
8 (12) The director shall maintain a statewide recovery framework
9 and prepare and administer a state program for long-term community
10 recovery assistance to county governments and federally recognized
11 Indian tribes within the state which experienced an emergency or
12 disaster, as defined in RCW 38.52.010. Such program shall provide
13 assistance to counties and Indian tribes to facilitate long-term
14 community recovery by:
15 (a) Assisting county and tribal governments with long-term
16 community recovery planning;
17 (b) Developing and regularly updating a manual to facilitate
18 long-term community recovery;
19 (c) Issuing grants to counties and Indian tribes to assist with
20 establishment and operation of long-term community recovery groups;
21 (d) Providing training focused on long-term community recovery in
22 cooperation with local organizations for emergency services or
23 management; and
24 (e) Creating and regularly updating a resource directory of
25 state, federal, and international agencies, volunteer organizations,
26 and service providers that may assist individuals and communities
27 during long-term community recovery.
28 (13) The director shall maintain a copy of the continuity of
29 operations plan for election operations for each county that has a
30 plan available.
31 (((13))) (14) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated
32 for this specific purpose, the director is responsible to the
33 governor to lead the development and management of a program to
34 provide information and education to state and local government
35 officials regarding catastrophic incidents and continuity of
36 government planning to assist with statewide development of
37 continuity of government plans by all levels and branches of state
38 and local government that address how essential government functions
39 and services will continue to be provided following a catastrophic
40 incident.
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1 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. If specific funding for the purposes of
2 this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not
3 provided by June 30, 2024, in the omnibus appropriations act, this
4 act is null and void.
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Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 38.52.030
Substitute Bill: 38.52.030