May 14, 2019
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s proposal to prepare for and mitigate the effects of climate disasters was signed into law yesterday by Gov. Jay Inslee. Senate Bill 5106 passed the House on April 12 with a 95-0 vote and the state Senate on April 22 with a 48-0 vote. The law takes effect on July 28.
The bill creates a work group represented by 27 organizations including legislators, state agencies, insurance companies, Tribal leaders, municipal groups and other key parties. The group will review and make recommendations on how to best coordinate and improve disaster resilience work in Washington state.
“I thank Sen. Mona Das, (D-Kent), and Rep. Kristine Reeves, (D-Federal Way), for sponsoring this important legislation,” Kreidler said. “This is a crucial first step in being prepared to mitigate disasters that we face in Washington state, including earthquakes, wildfires and flooding.”
““Washington state is prone to natural disasters including earthquakes, floods, landslides, and wildfires,” Das said. “We’ve seen an increase in these events because of climate change. We need to act now to ensure we’re fully prepared.”
The work group will hold its first meeting in September. The group’s final report on its recommendations on whether Washington should have an ongoing resilience program is due in December 2020.