SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6052

               As Passed Senate, March 13, 1999

Title:  An act relating to funding hunter safety programs.

Brief Description:  Assisting volunteers in hunter safety programs.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation (originally sponsored by Senators Jacobsen and Rasmussen).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  3/3/99 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 3/13/99, 45-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6052 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; T. Sheldon, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Morton, Oke, Rossi, Snyder, Spanel and Stevens.

Staff:  Vic Moon (786-7469)

Background:  The Hunter Education Program offers classes that all new hunters in the state are legally required to complete.  Funds for the classes come from the federal Pitman Robinson Fund.  At the present time, many volunteers are helping with the program but insufficient funding exists to give them any mileage or per diem costs.

Summary of Bill:  The Legislature finds that the Hunter Education Program is an important program but that budget reductions have limited the assistance that the state can provide to volunteers who conduct the classes.

The support of volunteer instructors in the Basic Firearms Safety Training Program is an additional use for the $3 from renewals of expired concealed weapon permits deposited in the wildlife fund.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 25, 1999.

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

Testimony For:  The fund has extra money which could help the firearm safety hunter education program which is staffed primarily by volunteers.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Mic Mikitik, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife; Larry Lufkin, hunter education instructor; Arnie Iverson, instructor; Morton Cooper; David Trapp, instructor; Allan Woodbridge, Western Fish and Wildlife Federation.