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HB1271 • 2026

State fire service deploy.

Permitting early deployment of state fire service resources.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representative Nance, Representative Dent, Representative Marshall, Representative Bronoske, Representative Leavitt, Representative Salahuddin, Representative Ryu, Representative Davis, Representative Mena, Representative Ramel, Representative Dye, Representative Barkis, Representative Klicker, Representative Reed, Representative Ormsby, Representative Scott, Representative Eslick, Representative Parshley, Representative Taylor, Representative Kloba, Representative Timmons, Representative Peterson, Representative Richards, Representative Simmons, Representative Hunt, Representative Hill
Last action
2025-03-11
Official status
H subst for
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

State fire service deploy.

State fire service deploy.

What This Bill Does

  • State fire service deploy.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

1271-S AMS WM S2665.1

0 • Ways & Means

ADOPTED

Plain English: 1271-S AMS WM S2665.1 SHB 1271 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Ways & Means ADOPTED 04/15/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.

  • 1271-S AMS WM S2665.1 SHB 1271 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Ways & Means ADOPTED 04/15/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.
  • 1.
  • RCW 43.43.960 and 2019 c 259 s 1 are each amended to 3 read as follows: 4 Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in 5 this section apply throughout this subchapter.
  • 6 (1) "All risk resources" means those resources regularly provided 7 by fire departments, fire districts, and regional fire protection 8 service authorities required to respond to natural or man-made 9 incidents, including but not limited to: 10 (a) Wild land fires; 11 (b) Landslides; 12 (c) Earthquakes; 13 (d) Floods; and 14 (e) Contagious diseases.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-11 House

    1st substitute bill substituted.

Official Summary Text

State fire service deploy.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
AN ACT Relating to early deployment of state fire service 1
resources; and amending RCW 43.43.960. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 43.43.960 and 2019 c 259 s 1 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in 6
this section apply throughout this subchapter. 7
(1) "All risk resources" means those resources regularly provided 8
by fire departments, fire districts, and regional fire protection 9
service authorities required to respond to natural or man-made 10
incidents, including but not limited to: 11
(a) Wild land fires; 12
(b) Landslides; 13
(c) Earthquakes; 14
(d) Floods; and 15
(e) Contagious diseases. 16
(2) "Chief" means the chief of the Washington state patrol.17
(3) "Fire chief" includes the chief officer of a statutorily 18
authorized fire agency, or the fire chief's authorized 19
representative. Also included are the department of natural resources 20
H-0362.1
HOUSE BILL 1271
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Nance, Dent, Marshall, Bronoske, Leavitt,
Salahuddin, Ryu, Davis, Mena, Ramel, Dye, Barkis, Klicker, Reed,
Ormsby, Scott, Eslick, Parshley, Taylor, Kloba, Timmons, Peterson,
Richards, Simmons, Hunt, and Hill
Read first time 01/14/25. Referred to Committee on Technology,
Economic Development, & Veterans.
p. 1 HB 1271
fire control chief, and the department of natural resources regional 1
managers. 2
(4) "Jurisdiction" means state, county, city, fire district, 3
regional fire protection service authority, or port district units, 4
or other units covered by this chapter. 5
(5) "Mobilization" means that all risk resources regularly 6
provided by fire departments, fire districts, and regional fire 7
protection service authorities beyond those available through 8
existing agreements will be requested and, when available, sent in 9
preparation of, or response to , an emergency or disaster situation 10
that has ((exceeded)) or is predicted to exceed the capabilities of 11
available local resources. During a large scale emergency, 12
mobilization includes the redistribution of regional or statewide 13
risk resources to either direct emergency incident assignments or to 14
assignment in communities where resources are needed. All risk 15
resources may not be mobilized to assist law enforcement with police 16
activities during a civil protest or demonstration, or other exercise 17
by the people of their constitutionally protected First Amendment 18
rights, or other protected concerted activity, however, fire 19
departments, fire districts, and regional fire protection service 20
authorities are not restricted from providing medical care or aid and 21
firefighting when mobilized for any purpose. 22
When mobilization is declared and authorized as provided in this 23
chapter, all risk resources regularly provided by fire departments, 24
fire districts, and regional fire protection service authorities 25
including those of the host fire protection authorities, i.e. 26
incident jurisdiction, shall be deemed as mobilized under this 27
chapter, including those that responded earlier under existing mutual 28
aid or other agreement. All nonhost fire protection authorities 29
providing resources in response to a mobilization declaration shall 30
be eligible for expense reimbursement as provided by this chapter 31
from the time of the mobilization declaration. 32
This chapter shall not reduce or suspend the authority or 33
responsibility of the department of natural resources under chapter 34
76.04 RCW. 35
(6) "Mutual aid" means emergency interagency assistance provided 36
without compensation under an agreement between jurisdictions under 37
chapter 39.34 RCW. 38
p. 2 HB 1271
(7) "State fire marshal" means the director of fire protection in 1
the Washington state patrol. 2
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p. 3 HB 1271