SENATE BILL REPORT

 

                           SSB 6556

 

              AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 15, 1994

 

 

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

 

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6556 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Owen, Chairman; Hargrove, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Erwin, Franklin, Haugen, Oke, Sellar, Snyder and Spanel.

 

Staff:  Vic Moon (786‑7469)

 

Hearing Dates:  February 2, 1994; February 4, 1994

 

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 leases many of the 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.

 

Appropriation:  $4,500 to DNR

 

Revenue:  none

 

Fiscal Note:  available

 

TESTIMONY FOR:

 

The Joyce area gets Canadian television but not U.S. stations without the translator and the current lease is over $5,000.

 

TESTIMONY AGAINST (original bill):

 

The department must be reimbursed if the trust land leases are not paid.

 

TESTIFIED:  Rich Wilson, Crescent School District (pro); Merlin Andrews, Mr. and Mrs. George Hamlin, CTRID (pro); Stan Biles, Department of Natural Resources (con)

 

HOUSE AMENDMENT(S):

 

The $4,500 appropriation is removed and a null and void clause is added.