OLYMPIA… Sen. Lynda Wilson’s bill confirming that fire-protection districts may offer worker-safety classes was signed today by the governor in a ceremony at the state Capitol.

Senate Bill 5338 had been approved unanimously by the Senate on Feb. 16 and the House of Representatives on March 24. The new law will take effect 90 days after the 2021 legislative session ends April 25.

Wilson, R-Vancouver, said credit for the legislation belongs to Roy Rhine, a commissioner with Clark County Fire Protection District 5, who called her attention to a state auditor’s finding that fire districts do not have authority to provide certain types of worker-safety classes.

“Fire District 5 operates the Northwest Regional Training Center, which for many years has been a cost-effective and convenient source of safety training for Vancouver city employees,” said Wilson. “By clarifying that fire protection districts have the authority to provide workplace-safety training, this new law will allow that productive relationship to continue, and I have to believe it will benefit other fire districts in Washington as well.”