FINAL BILL REPORT

                           SSB 6556

                          C 294 L 94

                      SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Allowing a nonprofit television reception improvement district to rent space from the department of natural resources for less than the fair market value of the property.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Hargrove and Snyder)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

BACKGROUND:

Because of severe impediments to television reception, such as the Olympic Mountains, reception in some areas is almost impossible without using transmitters to reinforce and redirect the television signals.  Most of the translators for radio and television are on high mountain tops.

The Department of Natural Resources is allowed to lease state lands for commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural and recreational purposes, but must obtain fair market value for the rental return.  Sites are extremely few and because of demand, the rental rates are quite expensive.

SUMMARY:

A nonprofit television reception improvement district that leases space from the Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of supplying television signals to homes, businesses or other entities that would otherwise be unable to receive United States television station reception will pay 50 percent of the lease fee if funded each biennium by the general fund.

An appropriation of $4,500 is made to the Department of Natural Resources from the general fund for the 1994-95 fiscal year.

A null and void clause is added.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate    48   0

House     96   0    (House amended)

Senate    46   0    (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 1, 1994