wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1654 > Original Bill
Each county government shall administer and enforce the International Fire Code in the unincorporated areas of the county: PROVIDED, That any political subdivision or municipal corporation providing fire protection pursuant to RCW 14.08.120 shall, at its sole option, be responsible for administration and enforcement of the International Fire Code on its facility: PROVIDED FURTHER, That a fire protection district or regional fire protection service authority with more than $10,000,000 in annual revenues for the preceding three years, or a regional fire protection service authority that is being formed by participating jurisdictions that cumulatively had more than $10,000,000 in annual revenues for three years prior to the formation of the regional fire protection service authority, shall, at its sole option and upon six months' advance notice to the county government, assume responsibility for administration and enforcement under the International Fire Code, including conducting investigations of fire cause and origin, planning review, and building inspections, in the unincorporated areas of the county within its jurisdiction. Any fire protection district, regional fire protection service authority, or political subdivision may, pursuant to chapter 39.34 RCW, the interlocal cooperation act, assume all or a portion of the administering responsibility and coordinate and cooperate with the county government in the enforcement of the International Fire Code.
It is not the intent of RCW 19.27.110 and 19.27.111 to preclude or limit the authority of any city, town, county, fire protection district, state agency, or political subdivision from engaging in those fire prevention activities with which they are charged.
It is not the intent of the legislature by adopting the state building code or RCW 19.27.110 and 19.27.111 to grant counties any more power to suppress or extinguish fires than counties currently possess under the Constitution or other statutes.
Each county is authorized to impose fees sufficient to pay the cost of inspections, administration, and enforcement pursuant to RCW 19.27.110 and 19.27.111.
Each fire protection district or regional fire protection service authority that assumes responsibility for administration and enforcement under the International Fire Code within its jurisdiction, including conducting investigations to determine fire cause and origin, planning review, and inspections, is authorized to impose fees sufficient to pay the cost of inspections of such administration and enforcement pursuant to RCW 19.27.110 and 19.27.111.
If a fire protection district or regional fire protection service authority assumes responsibility as stated in this section, the fire protection district or regional fire protection service authority must offer an equivalent position to all workers displaced from the change in administration within the county fire marshal's office.