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State Senate considers bill to allow planning for nuke attack

State Senate committee will hear public testimony on legislation to repeal the state law preventing preparation for a nuclear attack.

The bill introduced in the state Legislature, SB-5936, would allow emergency management personnel in the state to once again make plans to evacuate cities ahead of a possible nuclear attack.

Old law prevents Washington state from preparing for nuclear disaster

Critics argue that lifting the ban would only help bolster an illusion that nuclear war is winnable.

The bill would lift a 1984 ban on creating plans to evacuate people in advance of a possible nuclear attack.

Lawmakers say even if this new legislation passes, it could take up to three years to put together a nuclear prep plan.

Before 1984, some communities had extensive nuclear readiness and survival plans.

The Spokane plan called for evacuating citizens to Pullman. Critics pointed out that the Pullman plan called for evacuating its citizens to Spokane.

One plan for evacuating Seattle consisted of loading residents onto Metro buses and driving them to Yakima.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.