HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  HB 2495

Title:An act relating to hunting licenses.  

Brief Description:Allowing holders of big and small game hunting licenses to hunt unclassified wildlife.

Sponsors:Representatives Pennington and Benson; by request of Department of Fish and Wildlife.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Meeting Date: January 26, 2000.       

Bill Analysis Prepared by:Josh Weiss, Counsel (786-7129)

Background:Unclassified wildlife includes, but is not limited to, animals such as: coyote, opossum, vole, and nonnative squirrel.  Unclassified wildlife does not include any animal currently defined as a game animal or as protected wildlife.

Prior to the merger of the enforcement provisions of the fisheries code and the wildlife code, anyone possessing a hunting license could legally take unclassified wildlife.  The merger of these provisions created separate small game and big game hunting licenses.  Persons with a small game license are currently allowed to hunt unclassified wildlife, while holders of a big game license may not.

Summary of Bill:Holders of a big game license are allowed to hunt unclassified wildlife.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note:     Not requested.

Effective Date:Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Rulemaking Authority: None.