H-544                _______________________________________________

 

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 179

                        _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Belcher, Lundquist, Bristow, Smitherman, Allen, Baugher, Lewis, Fisher, Locke, Unsoeld, Dellwo, Wang, Walker, Sayan, Jacobsen, P. King, Winsley, Sanders, May and Hankins

 

 

Read first time 1/23/85 and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

 

 


AN ACT Relating to migratory waterfowl; amending RCW 77.32.350; adding a new section to chapter 77.08 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 77.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.16 RCW; and making an appropriation.

 

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

 

        Sec. 1.  Section 12, chapter 310, Laws of 1981 as amended by section 6, chapter 240, Laws of 1984 and RCW 77.32.350 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) A hound stamp is required to hunt wild animals with a dog.  The fee for this stamp is six dollars.

          (2) An upland game bird stamp is required to hunt for quail, partridge, and pheasant in areas designated by rule of the commission.  The fee for this stamp is six dollars.

          (3) An archery stamp is required to hunt with a bow and arrow during seasons established exclusively for hunting in that manner.  The fee for this stamp is six dollars.

          (4) A muzzleloading firearm stamp is required to hunt with a muzzleloading firearm during seasons established exclusively for hunting in that manner.  The fee for this stamp is six dollars.

          (5) A falconry stamp is required to hunt with a falcon during seasons established exclusively for hunting in that manner.  The fee for this stamp is fifteen dollars.

          (6) To be valid, stamps required under this section shall be permanently affixed to the licensee's appropriate hunting or fishing license.

          (7) A migratory waterfowl stamp is required to hunt migratory waterfowl.  The fee for the stamp is five dollars.

          (8) The migratory waterfowl stamp shall be validated by the signature of the licensee written across the face of the stamp.

          (9) Stamps required by this section expire on March 31st following the date of issuance except for hound stamps, which expire December 31st following the date of issuance.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  There is added to chapter 77.08 RCW a new section to read as follows:

          As used in this title or rules of the commission:

          (1) "Migratory waterfowl" means members of the family Anatidae, including brants, ducks, geese, and swans;

          (2) "Migratory waterfowl stamp" means the stamp that is required by RCW 77.32.350 to be in the possession of persons between and including the ages of sixteen and sixty-five to hunt migratory waterfowl;

          (3) "Prints and artwork" means replicas of the original stamp design that are sold to the general public.  Prints and artwork are not to be construed to be the migratory waterfowl stamp that is required by RCW 77.32.350.  Artwork may be any facsimile of the original stamp design, including color renditions, metal duplications, or any other kind of design; and

          (4) "Migratory waterfowl art committee" means the committee created by section 5 of this act.  The committee's primary function is to select the annual waterfowl stamp design.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  There is added to chapter 77.16 RCW a new section to read as follows:

          It is unlawful for any person between and including the ages of sixteen and sixty-five to hunt any migratory waterfowl without first obtaining a migratory waterfowl stamp as required by RCW 77.32.350.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  There is added to chapter 77.12 RCW a new section to read as follows:

          The migratory waterfowl stamp to be produced by the department shall be based on the design as provided by the migratory waterfowl art committee.

          All revenue derived from the sale of the stamps by the department shall be deposited in the state game fund and shall be used only for the cost of printing and production of the stamp and for those migratory waterfowl projects specified by the director of the department for the acquisition and development of waterfowl habitat in the state and for the enhancement, protection, and propagation of waterfowl in the state.  Acquisition shall include but not be limited to the acceptance of gifts of real estate or any interest therein or the rental, lease, or purchase of real estate or any interest therein.

          The department may produce migratory waterfowl stamps in any given year in excess of those necessary for sale in that year.  The excess stamps may be sold to the migratory waterfowl art committee for sale to the public.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  There is added tochapter 77.12 RCW a new section to read as follows:

          There is created the migratory waterfowl art committee which shall be composed of seven members.  The committee shall be made up of one person from each of the following organizations, to be selected by the director from a list of three nominees provided by each of these organizations:  National Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, Washington Duck Hunters Incorporated, Inland Empire Big Game Council, and the Washington State Sportsman Council.  An additional member, knowledgeable about waterfowl, shall be appointed by the director and one member, knowledgeable about waterfowl, shall be appointed by the governor.

          The members of the committee shall serve three-year staggered  terms and at the expiration of their term shall serve until qualified successors are appointed.  Of the seven members, initially three members shall be appointed for four-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms consistent with this section.  A chairman shall be elected annually by the committee.  The committee shall review the director of game's expenditures of the previous year of both the stamp money and the prints and related artwork money.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  There is added to chapter 77.12 RCW a new section to read as follows:

          The migratory waterfowl art committee is responsible for the selection of the annual migratory waterfowl stamp design and shall provide the design to the department.  If the committee does not perform this duty within the time frame necessary to achieve proper and timely distribution of the stamps to license dealers, the director shall initiate the art work selection for that year.  The committee shall create collector art prints and related artwork, utilizing the same design as provided to the department.  The administration, sale, distribution, and other matters relating to the prints and sales of stamps with prints and related artwork shall be the responsibility of the migratory waterfowl art committee.

          Gross profits from the sale of prints and related artwork shall be deposited in the state game fund.  The costs of producing and marketing of prints and related artwork, including administrative expenses approved by the committee, shall be paid out of gross profits from sales of those same items.  Net funds derived from the sale of prints and related artwork shall be disbursed by the director of game to one or more appropriate nonprofit organizations, for the development of waterfowl propagation projects within Washington, the Dominion of Canada, or Alaska, which specifically provide waterfowl for the Pacific flyway.

          The waterfowl art committee shall have an annual audit of its finances conducted by the state auditor and shall furnish a copy of the audit to the game commission.

          Implementation of this section shall proceed immediately after the effective date of the act.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.     There is appropriated to the migratory waterfowl art committee from the state game fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, the sum of five thousand dollars, to be used for the initiation of the program provided for in section 6 of this act.  The appropriation shall be repaid to the state game fund with moneys generated from the sale of art prints and related artwork.