SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5971

                            AS OF JANUARY 31, 1992

Brief Description:  Reorganizing the various state natural resource agencies.

SPONSORS: Senators Conner and Rasmussen

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

Staff:  Vic Moon (786‑7469)

Hearing Dates: February 4, 1992

BACKGROUND:

There have been many attempts to combine all natural resource programs into one single agency to provide for more efficient and better coordinated management.

SUMMARY:

The Legislature finds that the Wildlife Department and the Fisheries Department should be combined and transferred to the Department of Natural Resources.  The grant will allow the Commissioner of Public Lands the authority to appoint state Parks and Recreation Commission members, public members of the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation and the Director of the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation.  The Department of Natural Resources will create a division within the department that will exercise all the duties and functions of the existing Department of Wildlife and a second division that will exercise the functions of the existing Department of Fisheries.  All reports, documents, files and papers are transferred to the Department of Natural Resources.  All appropriations made to the departments are transferred to the Department of Natural Resources.  All employees of the two transferred departments will become employees of the Department of Natural Resources without any loss of rights.

All rules of business pending before each of the agencies may be acted upon by the Department of Natural Resources.  Nothing in the act will alter existing collective bargaining provisions until they expire. 

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested