An Act relating to disasters and to the disaster relief fund.

Prepared by: Senate Finance
Updated: April 27, 1999

The Finance Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 101 amended clarifies the definition of a disaster. A disaster is an impending threat or actual damage, injury, loss of life or property, or shortage of food, water or fuel resulting from specified environmental catastrophes.

CSSB 101(FIN) am limits the scope of a disaster by replacing vague terminology in statute with more specific language. This will direct the executive branch of government in identifying what constitutes a disaster prior to making a gubernatorial disaster declaration.

In addition to enumerating the definition of disaster, CSSB 101(FIN) am makes significant changes to funding limits within the executive branch in reference to disaster emergencies. The governor is authorized to expend up to $500,000 to prevent or minimize the effects of an event that could become a disaster. If a statutorily specified disaster occurs, the governor is subject to two spending caps - $1,000,000 and $5,000,000. The $1,000,000 spending cap requires legislative authorization and a presidential declaration of disaster before further expenditures from state funds are allowed. The $5,000,000 spending cap only applies to wildland fire disasters.

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