Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary — 1625 HB: Back country search & rescue
Summary
Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary for 1625 HB, titled Back country search & rescue, marked Preliminary 1/31/2025. It shows estimated operating expenditures for the Military Department of $269,646 for 2025-27 and $263,966 in each of 2027-29 and 2029-31, with the fiscal note of the Office of the Secretary of State listed as not available. The Military Department note says Sec. 3 establishes a back country search and rescue grant program and that expenditures are primarily for a Search and Rescue Grant Coordinator. A Department of Commerce local government fiscal note says the legislation would have indeterminate revenue and expenditure impacts for local governments.
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“Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary — 1625 HB: Back country search & rescue.”
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Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary
Bill Number: 1625 HB Title: Back country search & rescue
Estimated Cash Receipts
NONE
Agency Name 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
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 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
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 1.0 269,646 269,646 269,646 1.0 263,966 263,966 263,966 1.0 263,966 263,966 263,966
Department
Total $ 1.0 269,646 269,646 269,646 1.0 263,966 263,966 263,966 1.0 263,966 263,966 263,966
Agency Name 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
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 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
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
Agency Name 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
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
FNPID 72163
:
FNS029 Multi Agency rollup
Estimated Capital Budget Breakout
NONE
Prepared by: Gwen Stamey, OFM Phone: Date Published:
(360) 790-1166 Preliminary 1/31/2025
FNPID 72163
:
FNS029 Multi Agency rollup
Individual State Agency Fiscal Note
Bill Number: 1625 HB Title: Back country search & rescue Agency: 245-Military Department
Part I: Estimates
No Fiscal Impact
Estimated Cash Receipts to:
NONE
Estimated Operating Expenditures from:
FY 2026 FY 2027 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
FTE Staff Years 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Account
General Fund-State 001-1 137,663 131,983 269,646 263,966 263,966
Total $ 137,663 131,983 269,646 263,966 263,966
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: 01/27/2025
Agency Preparation: Serina Roberts Phone: 2535127388 Date: 01/31/2025
Agency Approval: Regan Hesse Phone: 253-512-7498 Date: 01/31/2025
OFM Review: Gwen Stamey Phone: (360) 790-1166 Date: 01/31/2025
Form FN (Rev 1/00) 199,707.00 Request # 1625 HB-1
FNS063 Individual State Agency Fiscal Note 1 Bill # 1625 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.
The New Section (Sec. 3) this bill proposes to add to 38.52 establishes a new back country search and rescue grant
program, and directs the department to administer it. A new Back Country Search and Rescue Account is created in the
treasury, subject to appropriation, which can receive donations. 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.
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.
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.
The military department expenditures necessary to implement this legislation are primarily comprised of staff salary and
benefits for a Search and Rescue Grant Coordinator (EMPS-2). This would be a total of 1 FTE of staff beginning in SFY
26. Other included costs are agency indirect costs (at 15%), Goods and services for employee workstation equipment and
standard employee costs (estimated at $5,000 per FTE), and travel (estimated at 4x trips in-state per SFY, 3 days and 2
nights at highest in-state per diem rates) to support delivery of related outreach, training, and meetings as needed. A detailed
description of estimated costs is provided in section III. A summary of estimated costs and assumptions is provided below.
Part III: Expenditure Detail
III. A - Operating Budget Expenditures
Account Account Title Type FY 2026 FY 2027 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
001-1 General Fund State 137,663 131,983 269,646 263,966 263,966
Total $ 137,663 131,983 269,646 263,966 263,966
Back country search & rescue 245-Military Department
Form FN (Rev 1/00) 199,707.00 Request # 1625 HB-1
FNS063 Individual State Agency Fiscal Note 2 Bill # 1625 HB
III. B - Expenditures by Object Or Purpose
FY 2026 FY 2027 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
FTE Staff Years 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
A-Salaries and Wages 72,924 72,924 145,848 145,848 145,848
B-Employee Benefits 35,004 35,004 70,008 70,008 70,008
C-Professional Service Contracts
E-Goods and Other Services 5,000 5,000 10,000 10,000 10,000
G-Travel 3,254 3,254 6,508 6,508 6,508
J-Capital Outlays 5,000 5,000
M-Inter Agency/Fund Transfers
N-Grants, Benefits & Client Services
P-Debt Service
S-Interagency Reimbursements
T-Intra-Agency Reimbursements 16,481 15,801 32,282 31,602 31,602
9-
Total $ 137,663 131,983 269,646 263,966 263,966
III. C - Operating FTE Detail: List FTEs by classification and corresponding annual compensation. Totals need to agree with total FTEs in
Part I and Part IIIA
Job Classification Salary FY 2026 FY 2027 2025-27 2027-29 2029-31
Emergency Management Program 72,924 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Specialist 2
Total FTEs 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
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) 199,707.00 Request # 1625 HB-1
FNS063 Individual State Agency Fiscal Note 3 Bill # 1625 HB
LOCAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL NOTE
Department of Commerce
Bill Number: 1625 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: 01/27/2025
Leg. Committee Contact: Martha Wehling Phone: 360-786-7067 Date: 01/27/2025
Agency Approval: Allan Johnson Phone: 360-725-5033 Date: 01/27/2025
OFM Review: Gwen Stamey Phone: (360) 790-1166 Date: 01/27/2025
Page 1 of 2 Bill Number: 1625 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. "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 State Military 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.
SOURCES:
Local Government fiscal note for HB 2257, 2024
Page 2 of 2 Bill Number: 1625 HB
FNS060 Local Government Fiscal Note
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