Committee hears proposal requiring counties to adopt extreme‑heat response plans

Members heard House Bill 21 83, which would require counties planning under the Growth Management Act to adopt an extreme heat response plan by July 1, 2027. The plan must be developed by the local board of health or health district in cooperation with local public health and emergency management and include immediate response actions and long‑term mitigation and outreach focused on high‑risk populations.

Sponsor Representative Partially recounted the region’s 2021 heat dome — shellfish deaths, overwhelmed hospitals and sustained temperatures above 105°F — and said the event caused more than 100 fatalities in Washington. Multiple health and emergency responders reinforced the urgency: Gordon Wheat recalled paramedic overload during that event and urged county‑level plans tailored to local risks; Dr. Gail Kukliss described the intensive resources required to treat heat stroke and said hospitals ran short of ice during prior events.

Local public‑health officials supported the bill but recommended narrowing or clarifying the bill’s scope to avoid duplication with existing emergency response, hazard mitigation and comp‑plan elements; Jamie Bodden asked the committee to specify leadership and approval paths for the plans to prevent confusion during multi‑jurisdictional events. Department of Labor and Industries (Tammy Felon) asked that the bill reference existing L&I rules protecting outdoor workers so county planners understand workplace protections that already apply.

Committee members discussed energy‑grid reliability, portable heat pumps as lower‑energy alternatives to window AC units, outreach and refuge‑cooling strategies for people who do not use cooling centers, and the need for equitable targeting of resources. The hearing closed with staff and stakeholders offering to continue drafting clarifications; the committee did not vote.