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SB 5925

Concerning the general powers and duties of the attorney general’s office.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Manka Dhingra and 6 co-sponsors

Allows large fire districts (budgets ≥$10M) to pay elected commissioners up to 144 per diem days per year, funded by the district at OFM rate (inflation-adjusted); no state cost.

Delivered to Governor.
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Bill Summary · SB 5925

SB 5925 — Summary (Fire protection district commissioner per diem compensation)

Status: Enacted (Chapter 35, 2024 Laws). Approved by Governor 3/13/2024. Effective date: 6/6/2024.
Introduced: 12/29/2023. Sponsors: Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs (Senators Torres, Lovelett, Short, Van De Wege).

Purpose / Intent

Allow larger fire protection districts to compensate elected commissioners for additional days of district service by increasing the maximum number of per diem payments available to commissioners in districts with larger operating budgets.

Key provisions

  • Amends and reenacts RCW 52.14.010 to add an exception for large districts:
    • Commissioners of a fire protection district with an operating budget of $10,000,000 or more may receive up to 144 per diem payments in a year, paid at the per diem rate set by the Office of Financial Management (OFM) and adjusted for inflation.
  • Retains existing statute language on:
    • Base per diem rules (daily rate and prior annual limits remain in statute for other districts),
    • Reimbursement for necessary expenses and access to the same insurance available to firefighters (commissioners who elect insurance pay premiums except for liability insurance),
    • Ability of a commissioner to waive compensation in writing,
    • OFM adjustment of dollar thresholds for inflation every five years (based on the WA CPI),
    • Limitation on receiving per diem for multiple overlapping offices, except where boards agree by resolution.
  • No appropriation in the bill.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Elected fire protection district commissioners serving districts with operating budgets of $10 million or more (testimony estimated about 18 such districts statewide).
  • Secondary: Fire districts’ budgets will cover the additional per diem payments; state budget impact is expected to be minimal or none (no state-paid compensation).

Impact and rationale

  • Practical effect: increases the allowable number of paid per diem days (from the prior practice/limit cited in testimony to 144) for commissioners of the largest districts, addressing workload increases (e.g., more meetings during fire season, regional consolidation and governance meetings).
  • Does not change who may be paid (ex officio members remain unpaid) and preserves existing procedural safeguards (waivers, expense reimbursements, inflation adjustments).

Timeline & procedure

  • Passed both chambers (Senate 2/7/2024; House 2/27/2024). Delivered to Governor 3/7/2024; signed 3/13/2024; effective 90 days after adjournment — listed effective date 6/6/2024.

For full statutory text, see RCW 52.14.010 as amended by this act.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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