H-4442.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2307
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1992 Regular Session
By House Committee on Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Fraser and Brumsickle)
Read first time 01/31/92.
AN ACT Relating to the Washington state board on geographic names; and amending RCW 43.126.025, 43.126.035, and 43.126.045.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 43.126.025 and 1983 c 273 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
There is hereby created a Washington state board on geographic names composed of:
(1) The state librarian or a representative of the state librarian;
(2) The commissioner of public lands or a representative of the commissioner of public lands;
(3)
The chairperson of the Washington state heritage council created ((by 1983
law)) pursuant to RCW 27.34.030, or a representative of the chairperson;
and
(4) Four members from the general public to be appointed by the commissioner of public lands.
The commissioner of public lands or his or her representative shall be chairman of the board.
The members of the initial board to be appointed by the commissioner shall be appointed as follows: One member for a one-year term, one member for a two-year term, one member for a three-year term, and one member for a four-year term. Thereafter, each member shall be appointed for a three-year term. Each member of the board shall continue in office until a successor is appointed.
Sec. 2. RCW 43.126.035 and 1983 c 273 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
It shall be the duty of the Washington state board on geographic names and it shall have the power and authority to:
(1)
Establish the official names for the lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns,
and other geographic features within the state and the spellings thereof except
when a name is specified by law. For the purposes of this subsection
geographic features do not include ((man-made features or))
administrative areas such as parks, game reserves, and dams, but shall include
((man-made)) human-constructed geographic features such as lakes,
canals, and islands;
(2) Assign names to lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features in the state for which no single generally accepted name has been in use;
(3) Cooperate with county commissioners, state departments, and agencies, and with the United States board on geographic names to establish, change and/or determine the appropriate names of the lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features for the purpose of eliminating, as far as possible, duplication of place names within the state;
(4) Serve as a state of Washington liaison with the United States board on geographic names;
(5) Periodically issue a list of names approved by the board.
Sec. 3. RCW 43.126.045 and 1983 c 273 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
The board is authorized to establish policies to carry out the purposes of this chapter. In determining the names and spelling of geographic place names within the state of Washington, the board's decisions shall be made only after a careful consideration of all available information relating to such names, including the recommendations of the United States board on geographic names, with which the board shall cooperate. In determining the name for a human-constructed geographic feature, the board shall consult with the person or persons who constructed the feature, whenever possible.