Legislative Resources

The 2023 Legislative Session begins in January 9, 2023. The Washington Fire Chiefs Legislative Committee established our “Top 5 Goals” for the 2023 session, which were assembled by the Legislative Committee based on membership feedback. In addition, you will see bills we are following for 2023 begin to be added to the bill tracker as the session starts. 
 

• EMS & General Health Care System Coordination
  • Support legislative efforts to address hospital capacity issues and ER wait times
  • Support funding increases for co-responder programs, including a request from the Co-Responder Outreach Alliance for $2 million to develop crisis intervention training for fire/EMS agencies
  • Seek opportunities for possible increases in state reimbursement rates for both non-transport treat-and-refer incidents and general Medicare/Medicaid services, while continuing to work with the Health Care Authority on changes to the GEMT program through federal CMS policy updates.
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• Wildland Fire Mitigation and Response
  • Seek to renew authorizing language in the 2023-25 Operating Budget to allow for up to $500K of the fire service mobilization account to be used for prepositioning of resources
  • Evaluate operational limitations in conjunction with DNR and WSFMO in an effort to improve and expedite the process for approval of aerial assets in early wildfire attack
  • Work with stakeholders to identify unprotected lands throughout Washington State, and to identify strategies for ensuring protection for rangelands and other vulnerable land
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• State Fire Marshal’s Office
  • Support efforts to increase funding for the Fire Service Training Account (086) to expand the JATC program and provide needed account stability moving forward 
  • Support WSFMO legislative efforts to create rules regarding firefighter 1 training reimbursement to local agencies
  • Engage in discussions to review the scope of the WSFMO and its proper place within the state’s executive branch, seeking to protects the interests of both career & volunteer FFs
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• Lithium-Ion Batteries
  • Elevate conversations regarding the need for awareness and additional training regarding response and suppression of lithium-ion batteries and other evolving energy systems
     
• Volunteer Firefighter Incentives
  • Support legislative efforts to finalize a multi-year effort to increase the volunteer firefighters’ pension
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• Washington State Association of Fire Marshals
  • Support WSAFM efforts to update recently-enacted laws regarding the inspection and testing of fire and smoke control systems and dampers
  • Support WSAFM efforts to strengthen the International Wildland Urban Interface Code