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                       ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2630

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By House Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife (originally sponsored by Representatives R. King, Orr, G. Cole, Rust, Horn, Fraser, Morris, R. Meyers, Basich, Leonard, Ogden, Valle, Dellwo, O'Brien, Nelson, Jacobsen, Haugen and J. Kohl)

Read first time 02/07/92.  Appointing a fish and wildlife council to raise funds and develop a species conservation curriculum.

     AN ACT Relating to fish and wildlife education; and adding a new chapter to Title 28A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.      The legislature declares that it is of vital importance that the state's youth be educated in the importance of fish and wildlife as components of the ecosystem.  The legislature finds that there is a lack of funding and focus in the state for education of Washington's youth in the important environmental issues of fish and wildlife preservation and management.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.      The governor shall appoint a fish and wildlife education council, or use the existing governor's council on environmental education created in 1990 by executive order 90-06, to accomplish the following:

     (1) Raise and distribute public and private funds for the purpose of providing environmental education programs, emphasizing the importance of species conservation and fish and wildlife as indicators of ecosystem health, and projects in fish and wildlife preservation and management to public and private elementary and secondary schools; and

     (2) Support the interdisciplinary programs that integrate fish and wildlife preservation and management with other areas of environmental education.

     Educational programs must be balanced and talk about the economic costs as well as the economic benefits of species conservation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.      If a new fish and wildlife education council is appointed under section 2 of this act, it shall not commence its duties until:

     (1) Legislation is enacted that makes specific moneys available for council activities, referencing this act by bill number, chapter number, or statute; or

     (2) Moneys from private or public donors are made available for council activities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.      Sections 1 through 3 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW.