HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1491

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                      Local Government

Title:  An act relating to flood control improvements.

Brief Description:  Creating the flood control improvement study commission.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives R. Johnson, Haugen, Roland, Edmondson, Kremen, Nealey, Rayburn, Lisk, Spanel, Neher, Rasmussen, P. Johnson, Rust, Braddock, Wynne, Scott and Paris.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, March 1, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1491 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Minority Member; Mitchell, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bray; Edmondson; Franklin; Horn; Nealey; Nelson; Rayburn; Roland; Wood; Wynne; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  A wide variety of laws have been enacted authorizing local governments to provide drainage and flood control facilities and improvements, including counties, cities, towns, diking districts, drainage districts, diking improvement districts, drainage improvement districts, flood control districts, and flood control zone districts.

The Corp of Engineers of the United State Army issues permits for the construction of improvements in navigable bodies of water.  The Department of Wildlife and the Department of Fisheries issue hydraulics permits for the construction of improvements in bodies of water.  Counties and cities issue shoreline substantial development permits for a variety of improvements in bodies of water.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  A 22 member state flood damage reduction commission is created, including: (1) four members of the Senate; (2) four members of the House of Representatives; (3) the director of the Department of Community Development, or the director's designee, who acts as chair of the commission; (4) the director of the Department of Wildlife, or the director's designee; (5) the director of the Department of Fisheries, or the director's designee; (6) the director of the Department of Agriculture or the director's designee; (7) the director of the Department of Ecology, or the director's designee; (8) the director of the Department of Transportation or the director's designee; (9) the commissioner of Public Lands, or the commissioner's designee; (10) the director of the Parks and Recreation Commission, or the director's designee; (11) four persons appointed by the governor representing counties within which significant flood control improvements have been constructed; and (12) two persons representing conservation districts and special districts that have been created to provide flood control improvements.

The study commission shall study a variety of flood and flood related issues, and report its findings to the Legislature on or before December 31, 1991.  These issues include:  (1) comprehensive watershed and flood damage management; (2) different permitting requirements; (3) flood control improvements; (4) growth management; (5) forest practice impacts on watershed hydraulics; and (6) the acquisition of property to reduce flood damages.

Each agency pays the expenses of its commission members and the Department of Community Development both staffs the commission and pays the expenses of the appointees.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The commission was renamed the state flood damage reduction commission, instead of the flood control improvement study commission, and expanded from 15 to 22 members.  The scope of the commission's study was expanded significantly to include a variety of flood related issues.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  We need a comprehensive study.  It is necessary to include a wide variety of players.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  (All testified in favor of original bill):  Susan Markey, Department of Fisheries; Bob Hulbert, Diking District No. 8; Herb Waltner, Diking District No. 17; Rod Mack, Department of Ecology; and Jean Ameluxen, Department of Community Development.