2SHB 2458 -
By Representative Taylor
On page 8, after line 14, insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 104 (1) The department must establish a
program to assist with the eradication of invasive species by paying
cash bounties to citizens in exchange for their participation in
eradication efforts.
(2) The framework of the bounty program must be established by the
department by rule. The rules must include how the department will
identify species eligible for a bounty, how a participant must confirm
their successful eradication assistance efforts, and how much of a
bounty to be paid for each included species.
(3) All bounties must be paid from the fish and wildlife
enforcement reward account created in RCW 77.15.425.
(4) The department may determine which invasive species are
eligible for inclusion in the bounty program. This list of included
species may include any of the following:
(a) Invasive species;
(b) Aquatic invasive species;
(c) Prohibited aquatic animal species under section 105 or 106 of
this act;
(d) Regulated aquatic animal species under section 105 or 106 of
this act;
(e) Nonnative avian species of the family Strigidae that are
displacing native avian species; and
(f) Mammalian predators of a species that has been eradicated in
Washington in its native form if that species is reemerging into
Washington through the migration of individual animals from a nonnative
gene pool."
Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.
On page 47, after line 26, insert the following:
"Sec. 309 RCW 77.15.425 and 2009 c 333 s 18 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The fish and wildlife enforcement reward account is created in
the custody of the state treasurer. Deposits to the account include:
Receipts from fish and shellfish overages as a result of a department
enforcement action; fees for hunter education deferral applications;
fees for master hunter applications and master hunter certification
renewals; all receipts from criminal wildlife penalty assessments under
RCW 77.15.400 and 77.15.420; all receipts of court-ordered restitution
or donations associated with any fish, shellfish, or wildlife
enforcement action; and proceeds from forfeitures and evidence pursuant
to RCW 77.15.070 and 77.15.100. The department may accept money or
personal property from persons under conditions requiring the property
or money to be used consistent with the intent of expenditures from the
fish and wildlife enforcement reward account.
(2) Expenditures from the account may be used only for
investigation and prosecution of fish and wildlife offenses, to provide
rewards to persons informing the department about violations of this
title and rules adopted under this title, to offset department-approved
costs incurred to administer the hunter education deferral program and
the master hunter (([permit])) permit program, for the payment of
invasive species bounties under section 104 of this act, and for other
valid enforcement uses as determined by the commission. Only the
director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the
account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter
43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures."
Renumber the remaining section consecutively, correct any internal references accordingly, and correct the title.
EFFECT: Creates a bounty program to pay citizens who assist in the eradication of certain invasive species. The Department may determine which invasive species are eligible for the bounty program, including invasive species, aquatic invasive species, and certain mammalian predators and nonnative owl species. Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to adopt rules to implement the bounty program, and authorizes bounty payments from the Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Reward Account.