S-1817               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5055

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State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Owen and Pullen)

Read first time 2/25/87.

AN ACT Relating to leasing state lands for use by ham radio operators; and adding new sections to chapter 79.01 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 79.01 RCW to read as follows:

          The legislature finds that amateur radio groups, commonly known as ham radio operators, provide important communication services to the general public and to local,  state, and federal agencies.  By leasing state lands to amateur radio operators, the legislature intends to help operators perform their many valuable public services, including but not limited to, supporting law enforcement personnel, aiding search and rescue efforts, providing an emergency communication network, and helping with disaster relief support.  The legislature recognizes the valuable services performed by amateur radio operators and intends to facilitate the continued performance of these services by permitting the lease of state lands at nominal costs for such public services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 79.01 RCW to read as follows:

          The department may lease state lands to licensed amateur radio operators for the purpose of erecting radio repeaters if such repeaters are available at all times to other licensed amateur radio operators to use for emergency and public service communications.  The department shall charge an annual fee of twenty-five dollars for use of the site by an amateur radio operator.  The department shall develop guidelines, which the department may adopt by rule, for leasing sites on state lands to amateur radio operators providing public services and for providing a preference where possible for such use by amateur radio operators.