OLYMPIA — A bill requiring the state to expand detailed mapping of landslide and other geologic risks has cleared its final legislative hurdle.
Senate Bill 5088 unanimously passed the state House Wednesday after winning approval in the Senate in February. The bill now goes to Gov. Jay Inslee for consideration.
The measure is one of the recommendations from a group that studied the state’s emergency response to the deadly Oso landslide that killed 43 people. It requires the Department of Natural Resources to share mapping data with local governments and make the database available to the public.
The agency says it needs $6.6 million to hire more geologists for the program. The proposed House budget includes $4.6 million for the expanded mapping program while the Senate’s proposal sets aside no additional money.
