Fiscal Note (Preliminary) — 2257 HB, Back Country Search & Rescue (Military Department)

Summary

Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary for 2257 HB, Back country search & rescue, marked Preliminary 1/22/2024. The rollup lists non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings for the Military Department, lists Fiscal note not available for the Office of the Secretary of State, and was prepared by Val Terre, OFM. The narrative states that Section 3 adds a section to RCW 38.52 that establishes a new back country search and rescue grant program and directs the Military Department to administer it, and that Section 3 also establishes a new back country search and rescue account. The local government fiscal note states that cities and counties would be eligible to receive grants for costs related to back country search and rescue efforts.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Cite this document

“Fiscal Note (Preliminary) — 2257 HB, Back Country Search & Rescue (Military Department).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2024-01-19-a31651-d266274-2257-fn-4f6917e853/, SHA-256 2d485ed06cb9d40663bb4e52e58b4513a89568e546d10a1088d7143d72068a29.

Full text

Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary
Bill Number: 2257 HB Title: Back country search & rescue

Estimated Cash Receipts
Agency Name 2023-25 2025-27 2027-29
GF-State NGF-Outlook Total GF-State NGF-Outlook Total GF-State NGF-Outlook Total
Military Department Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Total $ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Agency Name 2023-25 2025-27 2027-29
GF- State Total GF- State Total GF- State Total
Local Gov. Courts
Loc School dist-SPI
Local Gov. Other Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Local Gov. Total

Estimated Operating Expenditures
Agency Name 2023-25 2025-27 2027-29
FTEs GF-State NGF-Outlook Total FTEs GF-State NGF-Outlook Total FTEs GF-State NGF-Outlook Total
Office of the Fiscal note not available
Secretary of State
Military Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.
Department

Total $ 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0

Agency Name 2023-25 2025-27 2027-29
FTEs GF-State Total FTEs GF-State Total FTEs GF-State Total
Local Gov. Courts
Loc School dist-SPI
Local Gov. Other Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Local Gov. Total

Estimated Capital Budget Expenditures
Agency Name 2023-25 2025-27 2027-29
FTEs Bonds Total FTEs Bonds Total FTEs Bonds Total
Office of the Secretary of Fiscal note not available
State
Military Department .0 0 0 .0 0 0 .0 0 0

Total $ 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0

FNPID 69464
:
FNS029 Multi Agency rollup
Agency Name 2023-25 2025-27 2027-29
FTEs GF-State Total FTEs GF-State Total FTEs GF-State Total
Local Gov. Courts
Loc School dist-SPI
Local Gov. Other Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Local Gov. Total

Estimated Capital Budget Breakout
NONE

Prepared by: Val Terre, OFM Phone: Date Published:
(360) 280-3973 Preliminary 1/22/2024

FNPID 69464
:
FNS029 Multi Agency rollup
Individual State Agency Fiscal Note

Bill Number: 2257 HB Title: Back country search & rescue Agency: 245-Military Department

Part I: Estimates
No Fiscal Impact

Estimated Cash Receipts to:
Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Estimated Operating Expenditures from:
Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Estimated Capital Budget Impact:

NONE

The cash receipts and expenditure estimates on this page represent the most likely fiscal impact. Factors impacting the precision of these estimates,
and alternate ranges (if appropriate), are explained in Part II.

Check applicable boxes and follow corresponding instructions:
If fiscal impact is greater than $50,000 per fiscal year in the current biennium or in subsequent biennia, complete entire fiscal note
X
form Parts I-V.
If fiscal impact is less than $50,000 per fiscal year in the current biennium or in subsequent biennia, complete this page only (Part I).

Capital budget impact, complete Part IV.

X Requires new rule making, complete Part V.

Legislative Contact: Martha Wehling Phone: 360-786-7067 Date: 01/14/2024
Agency Preparation: Regan Hesse Phone: 253-512-7698 Date: 01/19/2024
Agency Approval: Regan Hesse Phone: 253-512-7698 Date: 01/19/2024
OFM Review: Val Terre Phone: (360) 280-3973 Date: 01/19/2024

Form FN (Rev 1/00) 191,252.00 Request # 2257 HB-2
FNS063 Individual State Agency Fiscal Note 1 Bill # 2257 HB
Part II: Narrative Explanation
II. A - Brief Description Of What The Measure Does That Has Fiscal Impact
Significant provisions of the bill and any related workload or policy assumptions that have revenue or expenditure impact on the responding agency by
section number.

Section 1 adds definitions of "Back country search and rescue" and "search and rescue organization."

Section 2 adds to the declaration of the Emergency Management Division's policy and purpose an intent that the division
provide back country search and rescue activities.

Section 3 adds a section to RCW 38.52 that establishes a new back country search and rescue grant program, and directs
the Military Department to administer it. Search and rescue organizations engaged in back country search and rescue and
political subdivisions which budget for or incur costs related to back country search and rescue not reimbursable through
other mechanisms may receive funds from this grant program, subject to availability of funds appropriated for this purpose.
Section 3 also establishes a new back country search and rescue account, which is appropriated and may receive donations.

The department currently does not have a search and rescue grant program nor does it have the personnel to perform the
workload anticipated to establish, implement, and manage the grant program. The work needed to implement the grant
program as directed includes developing grant requirements and prioritization scheme, developing forms for
requests/proposals for funding, coordinating with partners in the search and rescue community to develop and scope the
program, training and outreach to eligible recipients regarding grant eligibility and processes, contracting with awardees,
tracking deliverables, managing billing and reimbursements, and providing technical assistance to awardees.
II. B - Cash receipts Impact
Cash receipts impact of the legislation on the responding agency with the cash receipts provisions identified by section number and when appropriate, the
detail of the revenue sources. Description of the factual basis of the assumptions and the method by which the cash receipts impact is derived. Explanation
of how workload assumptions translate into estimates. Distinguished between one time and ongoing functions.

This bill authorizes the agency to receive donations into a new back country search and rescue account. The value of these
donations is indeterminate.
II. C - Expenditures
Agency expenditures necessary to implement this legislation (or savings resulting from this legislation), with the provisions of the legislation that result in
the expenditures (or savings) identified by section number. Description of the factual basis of the assumptions and the method by which the expenditure
impact is derived. Explanation of how workload assumptions translate into cost estimates. Distinguished between one time and ongoing functions.

Per Section 3, this program is subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose; therefore costs
are indeterminate.

If the Military Department were to run a mature back country search and rescue grant program, costs are estimated
follows:

Object A (Salaries): $70,800/year for 1 Emergency Management Program Specialist 2 to serve as the grant coordinator
Object B (Benefits): $33,984/year, estimated at 48% of salaries
Object E (Goods and Services): $5000/year for computer, phone, shared services and central services costs
Object G (Travel): $3,254/year
Object N (Grants): Unknown
Object T (Indirect Costs): $16,956/year

Total annual known costs: $129,994 GFS

The cost of the grants themselves would be provided out of the new back country search and rescue account.

Back country search & rescue 245-Military Department
Form FN (Rev 1/00) 191,252.00 Request # 2257 HB-2
FNS063 Individual State Agency Fiscal Note 2 Bill # 2257 HB
Alternatively, if the intend of the legislation is that the Emergency Management Division is empowered to receive
occasional donated funds, and use those funds to provide grants to eligible search and rescue organizations, the staffing
costs would be significantly lower.

Part III: Expenditure Detail
III. A - Operating Budget Expenditures
Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.
III. B - Expenditures by Object Or Purpose
Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

III. C - Operating FTE Detail: FTEs listed by classification and corresponding annual compensation. Totals agree with total FTEs in Part I
and Part IIIA.
NONE

III. D - Expenditures By Program (optional)
NONE

Part IV: Capital Budget Impact
IV. A - Capital Budget Expenditures
NONE

IV. B - Expenditures by Object Or Purpose
NONE

IV. C - Capital Budget Breakout
Acquisition and construction costs not reflected elsewhere on the fiscal note and description of potential financing methods.
NONE

IV. D - Capital FTE Detail: FTEs listed by classification and corresponding annual compensation. Totals agree with total FTEs in Part IVB.

NONE

Part V: New Rule Making Required
Provisions of the bill that require the agency to adopt new administrative rules or repeal/revise existing rules.

The bill provides that the department may adopt rules but does not require it.

Back country search & rescue 245-Military Department
Form FN (Rev 1/00) 191,252.00 Request # 2257 HB-2
FNS063 Individual State Agency Fiscal Note 3 Bill # 2257 HB
LOCAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL NOTE
Department of Commerce

Bill Number: 2257 HB Title: Back country search & rescue

Part I: Jurisdiction-Location, type or status of political subdivision defines range of fiscal impacts.
Legislation Impacts:
X Cities: Indeterminate revenue from potential back country search and rescue grants; costs associated with grant application.
X Counties: Same as above.
Special Districts:

Specific jurisdictions only:
Variance occurs due to:

Part II: Estimates
No fiscal impacts.

Expenditures represent one-time costs:

X Legislation provides local option: Local governments may choose to apply for back coutry search and rescue grants.

X Key variables cannot be estimated with certainty at this time: Grant funds available; number of applications from local governments.

Estimated revenue impacts to:

Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Estimated expenditure impacts to:

Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings. Please see discussion.

Part III: Preparation and Approval
Fiscal Note Analyst: Alice Zillah Phone: 360-725-5035 Date: 01/17/2024
Leg. Committee Contact: Martha Wehling Phone: 360-786-7067 Date: 01/14/2024
Agency Approval: Allan Johnson Phone: 360-725-5033 Date: 01/17/2024
OFM Review: Val Terre Phone: (360) 280-3973 Date: 01/18/2024
Page 1 of 2 Bill Number: 2257 HB
FNS060 Local Government Fiscal Note
Part IV: Analysis
A. SUMMARY OF BILL
Description of the bill with an emphasis on how it impacts local government.
Sec. 1 amends RCW 38.52.010. "Back country search and rescue" is a subset of search and rescue and includes locating
lost, injured, or deceased persons in remote areas. "Local director" means the director of a local organization of
emergency management or emergency services. "Search and rescue organization" means a Washington domestic
nonprofit corporation or a group of emergency workers recognized by and working with the local director, whose primary
purpose is search and rescue, has its principal place of business established in a political subdivision of the state of
Washington, and is formally recognized by the local emergency management organization of that political subdivision as
being available for participation in search and rescue activities consistent with RCW 38.52.400.

Sec. 3 adds a new section to RCW 38.52. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the
back country search and rescue grant program is established. The back country search and rescue account is created in
the state treasury. Expenditures from the account may only be used by the department to provide grants to: (a) Search
and rescue organizations for anticipated and incurred back country search and rescue costs by search and rescue
volunteers, including planning, equipment, training, exercise, and operations; and (b) Political subdivisions which incur or
budget for costs related to back country search and rescue operations that are not available for reimbursement through
another mechanism.
B. SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURE IMPACTS
Expenditure impacts of the legislation on local governments with the expenditure provisions identified by section number and when
appropriate, the detail of expenditures. Delineated between city, county and special district impacts.

The legislation would have indeterminate expenditure impacts for local governments. Local governments which apply for
back country search and rescue grants would incur costs associated with the application process, including staff time, legal
consultation, and city council or county commissioners’ approval. These costs cannot be estimated at this time.
C. SUMMARY OF REVENUE IMPACTS
Revenue impacts of the legislation on local governments, with the revenue provisions identified by section number, and when
appropriate, the detail of revenue sources. Delineated between city, county and special district impacts.

The legislation would result in indeterminate revenue for local governments.

Cities and counties would be eligible to receive grants for costs related to back country search and rescue efforts that are
not available for reimbursement through another mechanism. There is no information about the amount of grant funds
available, or how often local governments would seek to apply for funding.

Page 2 of 2 Bill Number: 2257 HB
FNS060 Local Government Fiscal Note

File and source

File: 2024-01-19_a31651_d266274_2257-fn.pdf
Size: 273,395 bytes
SHA-256: 2d485ed06cb9d40663bb4e52e58b4513a89568e546d10a1088d7143d72068a29
Our copy: 2024-01-19_a31651_d266274_2257-fn.pdf
Original: No public link identified.