S-0070.3 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5118
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Senators Anderson, Oke, Snyder, Metcalf, L. Smith, Vognild, Rasmussen, Conner, Thorsness and Wojahn.
Read first time January 21, 1991. Referred to Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.
AN ACT Relating to a fisheries hotline; and adding a new section to chapter 75.12 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 75.12 RCW to read as follows:
The department shall operate a state-wide twenty-four-hour toll-free hotline for reporting of food fish law violations. During normal working hours the hotline shall be answered by fisheries patrol personnel in the Olympia headquarters. Beyond normal working hours the department may contract with another governmental agency to answer the hotline and relay information to the appropriate fisheries department patrol officers. Upon receipt of a hotline report of an in-progress violation the department shall make a good faith effort to immediately respond.
The department shall contact each person who calls the toll-free food fish violation hotline with a report of a food fish law violation to report on the type of action that was taken and the results of the investigation.
The department shall publicize the state-wide twenty-four-hour toll-free hotline for reporting of food fish law violations, which shall be popularly known as the "food fish and shellfish poaching hotline." The department shall take steps to assure that the food fish and shellfish poaching hotline number is listed in phone books throughout the state, is included with the food fish regulation information pamphlet, and that all other law enforcement entities in the state are informed of the program.