H-1823.1

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1969

ByHouse Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Burnett, Low, Griffey, Graham, Dent, Ley, Volz, Schmidt, Berg, Schmick, Leavitt, Klicker, Keaton, Eslick, and Barkis)

AN ACT Relating to the law enforcement aviation support grant program; adding a new section to chapter 38.52 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 38.52 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall develop and implement a law enforcement aviation support grant program for the purpose of providing financial assistance to law enforcement aviation support units.

(2) The department shall utilize a statewide association of law enforcement executives to identify and recognize local law enforcement rotary wing aviation support units that offer aviation support to any jurisdiction in the state reachable by their aviation support unit whenever an aircraft is available, without any financial obligation on behalf of the requesting jurisdiction. For purposes of this section, refueling is not considered a financial obligation.

(3) The department shall equally distribute 50 percent of the amounts appropriated for this program each fiscal year to local law enforcement rotary wing aviation support units recognized pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. Funding provided pursuant to this subsection must be used to maintain and operate rotary wing aviation support units including, but not limited to, pilot and crew costs, aircraft maintenance, upgrades, acquisition, insurance, fuel, training, and any other reasonable and necessary expense associated with operating an aviation support unit.

(4) Of the amounts remaining each fiscal year, the department must make available for local law enforcement rotary wing aviation support units recognized pursuant to subsection (2) of this section to submit and be reimbursed for all costs associated with search and rescue missions or search and rescue training missions conducted by the unit, regardless of where the search and rescue mission took place. Reimbursable costs include, but are not limited to, fuel costs, maintenance costs, and pilot and crew costs. Depreciation costs are not reimbursable expenses under this subsection.

(5) Any amounts remaining at the conclusion of each fiscal year, after local law enforcement rotary wing aviation support units recognized pursuant to subsection (2) of this section have had reasonable opportunity to submit any allowable unreimbursed search and rescue mission costs, must be awarded to the aviation section of the Washington state patrol.

(6) Funds awarded pursuant to this section must be used to supplement, not supplant, existing local funding for aviation support units.

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