HB 1909-S - DIGEST
(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

Establishes the specialized forest products work group.

Requires the specialized forest products work group to review the current specialized forest products statute, chapter 76.48 RCW, as well as applicable theft laws. The specialized forest products work group must evaluate the statute, as well as its application, and make recommendations, if any, to ensure that the specialized forest products requirements: Provide reasonable tools for law enforcement and reasonably protect landowners from theft; are not unduly burdensome to harvesters, those possessing or transporting specialized forest products, or cedar or specialty wood processors or buyers; are clear and may be readily understood by law enforcement and the public; and are administered and enforced consistently throughout the state.

Directs the specialized forest products work group to provide a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature containing its recommendations, as well as draft legislation implementing its recommendations, by December 1, 2007.

Provides that, by December 1, 2007, the department of natural resources must review the uses of and demands on the state's wild huckleberry resource, and estimate whether the current consumptive uses of wild huckleberries are sustainable and compatible among the various consumptive users of the resource. Based upon this review, the department of natural resources must deliver recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature as to whether a state-permitting requirement to harvest, possess, or transport wild huckleberries would remedy any problems identified during the review, whether the specialized forest products permit would be the most effective permitting program to utilize, and what permit conditions or requirements should be placed on the harvest, possession, or transportation of wild huckleberries.