In March 2015, the Washington State Legislature passed Substitute House Bill 1604 (SHB 1604), which requires the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to form a work group to discuss establishing definitions, policies and procedures for mandatory reporting of hazardous exposures suffered by firefighters in the course of employment. The work group, including representatives of firefighter unions, fire departments, fire chiefs, state-fund public employers and self-insured employers, began meeting in August 2015. The legislation requires a report from the work group, with any recommendations for legislation or rulemaking, to be submitted by January 1, 2016.

Bill Hoover and Eric Monroe of the Cancer Foundation joined members of the Washington State Council of Firefighters, representatives from Labor and Industries, Association of Washington Cities, Washington Fire Chiefs Association and other selected members to discuss draft HB1604 which was presented at the last legislative session to make exposure reporting mandatory.  The purpose of the legislation is to require firefighters to document on-the-job exposures in an effort to collect meaningful and adequate data relating to illnesses linked to work-related exposures.  The recommendation of the committee is enclosed in the final report attached.