AN ACT Relating to the Washington state sportsmen's commission and sportsmen's facility; adding a new chapter to Title 67 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that interest has been steadily increasing in archery and archery safety; law enforcement training and qualifications; target practice and safety; skeet, trap, and shotgun sports including dog training; and black powder shooting sports and related historical heritage activities. The existing facilities inadequately meet the growing needs of the people of this state and tourists from other states and nations. Current facilities for sportsmen's training and practice, which are often leased, are threatened with being closed due to the pressures of urban growth. Acquisition and development of an accessible state facility of international Olympic quality will promote international competition, and target practice and safety training, and Olympic-type training events. Having such a facility in the state will promote tourism and provide added recreational opportunities for the citizens of this state. The legislature further intends that such facility should not negatively impact or be a financial burden on existing facilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The Washington state sportsmen's commission is created.

(2) The commission shall be composed of seven members appointed by the governor for four-year terms. The terms of the initial members shall be staggered. The members shall be appointed as follows:

(a) One from a law enforcement agency;

(b) One from a state-wide group which emphasizes or has a subdivision which emphasizes hunting and hunting safety;

(c) One from a state-wide group or division of a state-wide group which emphasizes target practice and target practice safety including but not limited to iron silhouette competition, small bore competition, and big bore competition;

(d) One representative of a skeet, trap, shotgun and dog training sports group;

(e) One representative of a group involved with black powder shooting sports and related historical heritage events;

(f) One representative from an archery and archery safety group; and

(g) One representative of the general public.

(3) The members of the commission shall select one of their members as chair. The commission shall meet at the call of the chair.

(4) Commission members shall not receive compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The office of the governor shall provide staff and resources as necessary to help the Washington state sportsmen's commission carry out its powers and duties under this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The Washington state sportsmen's commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To select, acquire, develop, and maintain an accessible state facility of international Olympic quality suitable for activities including but not limited to training in archery and archery safety, law enforcement training, target shooting and target practice and safety, shotgun sports including dog training, and black powder shooting sports and related historical activities;

(2) To promote international and nation-wide training events and competitions at the facility;

(3) To hire staff as necessary for the operation of the facility;

(4) To establish fees sufficient to cover the costs of operating and maintaining the facility and which will help defray the costs of developing and maintaining publicly owned local facilities as provided under subsection (5) of this section;

(5) To distribute one-third of all fees collected under subsection (4) of this section to local governmental entities for the purpose of developing or maintaining facilities for sportsmen's training and practice. The funds shall be uniformly distributed throughout the state based upon geographical factors, need for the facilities, and actual or potential use of the facilities;

(6) To work with other agencies on the development of ranges throughout the state; and

(7) To adopt rules under chapter 34.04 RCW as necessary to carry out this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. There is appropriated to the Washington state sportsmen's commission the sum of six million dollars or so much thereof as may be necessary to acquire a site for and to develop the Washington state sportsmen's facility.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 1 through 4 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 67 RCW.