5574-2S AAS 3/15/95

2SSB 5574 - S Amd - 148

    BySenators Fraser, Franklin, Fairley and Spanel

                                               NOT ADOPTED 3/15/95

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that in the early 1900's and up through the 1930's, counties took possession of a number of forest land parcels as a result of tax delinquencies.  In many cases, the timber had already been harvested from these lands prior to the forfeiture of the property to the counties.  Since that time, the department of natural resources has reforested and managed these lands in conjunction with the state trust lands.  Given changes in forest practices, recent fluctuation in income from the forest board lands, and interest by some counties in having management responsibilities transferred to them, the legislature directs that the legislative budget committee conduct a study of the statutory mandates governing state forest lands, federal statutes that impact state management of such lands, and the desirability of transferring such responsibilities to counties, including an analysis of the ability of counties to assume such responsibilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The study under section 1 of this act shall include the following subjects:

    (1) The role of the forest board land in the state's sustained yield calculations and the effect of removing all or part of those lands on income, yield, and management policies;

    (2) Board of natural resources policies for management of forest board lands and analysis of costs to such management, including reforestation;

    (3) The long- and short-term implications of separating the forest board lands from the total lands managed by the department, including costs to state and county governments, and probable revenue impacts to state programs, including firefighting and to junior taxing districts;

    (4) The effects of transfer on public access, recreation, and the management of other public and private lands;

    (5) A comparison of forest management procedures and costs between Grays Harbor county and similar forest board and similar state trust lands;

    (6) Potential changes in state and county employees due to changes in management;

    (7) Examine the best possible methods and procedures to transfer the forest board lands to the counties.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The findings of the study, along with recommendations to the legislature, shall be submitted to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by December 1, 1995.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill number, is not provided by June 30, 1995, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act shall be null and void."

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