S-0757.1
SENATE BILL 5491
State of Washington
64th Legislature
2015 Regular Session
By Senators Parlette, Hatfield, King, Hargrove, Benton, Pearson, Braun, Rivers, Cleveland, Warnick, Honeyford, and Bailey
Read first time 01/22/15. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development.
AN ACT Relating to maintaining reservations of water for certain future uses; and adding a new section to chapter 90.54 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 90.54 RCW to read as follows:
The legislature declares that it is clear that overriding considerations of the public interest will be served by ensuring that reservations of water for certain future uses included in rules establishing levels and flows pursuant to this chapter or chapter 90.22 RCW are maintained. This section applies only to those rules that were in effect prior to the supreme court of Washington's October 3, 2013, opinion in Swinomish Indian Tribal Community v. Washington State Department of Ecology. This section does not apply to the amended rule at issue in the supreme court of Washington's October 3, 2013, opinion in Swinomish Indian Tribal Community v. Washington State Department of Ecology. This section does not alter or affect the department's authority to adopt, amend, or repeal rules establishing levels and flows.
--- END ---