New Washington Law Requires Plan for Statewide Disaster Resilience

Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s proposal to prepare for and mitigate the effects of climate disasters was signed into law this week by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Senate Bill 5106 passed through state Legislature without opposing votes. 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.

“This is a crucial first step in being prepared to mitigate disasters that we face in Washington state, including earthquakes, wildfires and flooding,” Kreidler said in a statement.

The work group is set to 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 December 2020.