Seismic hazard risk, reduce

AN ACT Relating to seismic hazard risk reduction; creating new 1
sections; and providing expiration dates. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington has 4
the second highest earthquake risk in the United States. A major 5
seismic event will result in loss of life and injury due to 6
structural collapse. The state has an 86 percent chance of 7
experiencing a damaging earthquake between now and the next 50 years. 8
A damaging earthquake will happen during our lifetime, and we are 9
unprepared. The seismic retrofit of collapse-prone buildings is 10
critical for ensuring the safety of our citizens and reducing 11
economic disruption. Unreinforced masonry buildings, classic red 12
brick buildings of common construction prior to World War II, were 13
built for their fire resistance and are at risk of collapse in an 14
earthquake due to their lack of reinforcing steel and inadequate 15
connections. A full or partial collapse of these structures is 16
significantly reduced by conducting seismic retrofits, bracing 17
parapets, and strengthening connections between the floors, walls, 18
and roof.19
The legislature further finds that supporting the identification 20
and earthquake retrofit of unreinforced masonry buildings will 21
H-1071.1
HOUSE BILL 1810
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Donaghy, Reeves, Walen, Ramel, Bernbaum, Low,
Reed, Paul, Santos, Berry, Nance, Pollet, and Zahn
Read first time 02/03/25. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
p. 1 HB 1810
increase public safety in the event of an earthquake, reducing 1
deaths, injuries, property damages, displacement, and economic 2
disruption. 3
The legislature further finds that financial resources are needed 4
to assist owners of unreinforced masonry buildings in conducting 5
these lifesaving earthquake retrofits. Local jurisdictions have been 6
unable to mandate the retrofit of these vulnerable structures, citing 7
the economic unviability it poses for building owners who will be 8
forced to pass costs along to tenants, decreasing the already limited 9
stock of affordable housing. 10
Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to support public 11
safety, earthquake readiness, and affordable housing by identifying 12
feasible opportunities to reduce the financial burden associated with 13
conducting seismic retrofits of unreinforced masonry buildings.14
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Subject to the availability of amounts 15
appropriated for this specific purpose, the department of commerce 16
must conduct a study regarding financial incentives to reduce the 17
financial burden associated with the seismic retrofit of unreinforced 18
masonry buildings.19
(2) The study must, at a minimum, include impact analysis and 20
policy recommendations for: 21
(a) The modification and expansion of the special valuation tax;22
(b) The expansion of current use taxation; 23
(c) Opportunities for time-limited exemptions under state 24
property tax, excise tax, sales tax, business and occupation tax, or 25
other tax structures; 26
(d) The use of valuation of special assessments and assessment 27
zones; and 28
(e) The identification of financial incentives for tax-exempt 29
entities, such as schools, nonprofits, and religious organizations.30
(3) The department of commerce must request input from the state 31
association of county assessors, American institute of architects 32
Washington chapter, structural engineers association of Washington, 33
the department of revenue, and the joint legislative audit and review 34
committee. 35
(4) The department of commerce must submit a preliminary report 36
on the outcomes of the completed study to the appropriate committees 37
of the legislature by June 30, 2026, and a final report must be 38
submitted by September 1, 2026. The report must also include policy 39
p. 2 HB 1810
recommendations relating to financial incentives for the retrofit of 1
unreinforced masonry buildings. 2
(5) This section expires December 31, 2026. 3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Subject to the availability of amounts 4
appropriated for this specific purpose, the emergency management 5
division of the Washington military department must complete the 6
inventory and categorization of unreinforced masonry buildings in 7
Washington, as directed in section 1009, chapter 298, Laws of 2018.8
(2) The inventory must include: 9
(a) Review of existing survey and data sources, including the 10
state's historic resources database and Sanborn maps to identify and 11
confirm unreinforced masonry construction; 12
(b) Ground truthing of suspected unreinforced masonry to confirm 13
construction type and vulnerability; and 14
(c) Upload unreinforced masonry data into the Washington system 15
for architectural and archaeological records data portal and 16
dashboard to enable local jurisdictions to view, download, and use to 17
guide unreinforced masonry retrofit efforts, hazard mitigation plans, 18
and emergency management plans. 19
(3) The emergency management division of the Washington military 20
department must submit a preliminary report on the progress of the 21
completed inventory to the appropriate committees of the legislature 22
by September 1, 2027. The statewide unreinforced masonry inventory 23
must be completed by June 30, 2030. 24
(4) This section expires December 31, 2030. 25
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p. 3 HB 1810