Fire protection projects

AN ACT Relating to capital projects for the provision of fire 1
protection services; and adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The definitions in this section apply 4
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires 5
otherwise.6
(1) "Department" means the department of commerce.7
(2) "Fire protection services capital project" means a project of 8
a local government for the planning, acquisition, construction, 9
repair, reconstruction, replacement, rehabilitation, or improvement 10
of a facility providing fire protection services. 11
(3) "Local governments" means cities, towns, counties, special 12
purpose districts, port districts, and any other municipal 13
corporations or quasi-municipal corporations in the state providing 14
fire protection services. 15
(4) "Rural county" means a county with a population density of 16
fewer than 100 persons per square mile or a county smaller than 225 17
square miles, as determined by the office of financial management 18
pursuant to RCW 43.62.035. 19
H-0022.1
HOUSE BILL 1001
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Abbarno, Waters, Barnard, Orcutt, Bronoske, and
Caldier
Prefiled 12/02/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Capital Budget.
p. 1 HB 1001
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department must establish a 1
competitive grant program to award funding to local governments in 2
rural counties for fire protection services capital projects.3
(2)(a) The department must establish a committee to develop the 4
grant program criteria and process for prioritization of 5
applications. The committee must be composed of no less than one 6
representative each from the department, a fire protection district, 7
a county, and a city. 8
(b) The department must consider, at a minimum and in any order, 9
the following factors in prioritizing projects: 10
(i) The insurance services office fire rating for the 11
jurisdiction providing the fire protection services in the facility;12
(ii) The extent to which the project leverages other funds;13
(iii) The ability of the local government providing the fire 14
protection services to levy local resources; 15
(iv) Whether the project is critical in nature and would affect 16
the health and safety of the people in the community of service;17
(v) The extent to which the project is ready to proceed to 18
construction; 19
(vi) Whether the project is located in a distressed area as 20
defined in RCW 43.168.020; and 21
(vii) Whether the project consolidates or regionalizes services.22
(3)(a) Funds awarded under this section may be given only after 23
private or public match funds are committed. Private or public match 24
funds may consist of cash, equipment, land, buildings, or like-kind. 25
In determining the level of match required, the department shall take 26
into consideration the financial need of the applicant and the 27
economic conditions of the location of the proposed facility.28
(b) The maximum amount of total funding that the department may 29
provide for any jurisdiction is $2,000,000 per biennium.30
(4) To ensure a grant under this section primarily serves the 31
public interest and benefits the public, contracts for grants 32
authorized under this section must include provisions that the 33
capital improvements be held by the grantee for a specified period of 34
time appropriate to the amount of the grant and that facilities be 35
used for the express purpose of the grant. If the grantee is found to 36
be out of compliance with provisions of the contract, the grantee 37
shall repay to the state general fund the principal amount of the 38
grant plus interest calculated at the rate of interest on state of 39
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Washington general obligation bonds issued most closely to the date 1
of authorization of the grant. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) By November 1, 2026, and each year 3
thereafter, the department must develop and submit a report regarding 4
the fire protection services capital projects grant program to the 5
office of financial management and the legislature. The report must 6
include:7
(a) The total number of applications and amount of funding 8
requested for fire protection services capital projects;9
(b) A list and description of projects approved in the preceding 10
fiscal year with project scores against the department's 11
prioritization criteria; 12
(c) The total amount of grant disbursements made in the preceding 13
fiscal year; and 14
(d) The total amount of funds obligated and timing of when the 15
funds were obligated in the preceding fiscal year.16
(2) The department may gather data from the eligible applicants 17
awarded the grant funding in order to develop the report.18
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Sections 1 through 3 of this act 19
constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.20
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p. 3 HB 1001