FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2793

                         C 267 L 96

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Providing for implementation of Referendum 45.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Fuhrman, Jacobsen, Basich, Thompson, Grant and L. Thomas).

House Committee on Natural Resources

Senate Committee on Natural Resources

Background:  Prior to 1993, a statute provided for six members on the Wildlife Commission.  A companion statute required approval of four commission members to adopt rules.  During the 1993 legislative session, the Legislature merged the former departments of Fisheries and Wildlife.  The merger bill increased the number of members on the re-named Fish and Wildlife Commission from six to nine. The companion statute regarding the number of members' approval necessary for rule-making was not amended.

With the passage of Referendum 45 in the November 1995 general election, voters turned over primary control of the Department of Fish and Wildlife to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.  The referendum takes effect July 1, 1996.  This is the same date by which the commission is to report to the Legislature on the statutory changes needed to implement the referendum fully.  The proposed changes could then be considered during the 1997 legislative session.  However, if the Legislature wishes to make any changes prior to the referendum effective date, the changes must be addressed during the 1996 legislative session.

Summary:  The approval of a majority of, rather than four, members of the Fish and Wildlife Commission is required in order for the commission to adopt rules.

Some statutory changes necessary to implement Referendum 45 are made.  One statute from the 1993 merger bill regarding the appointment of the department director by the Governor is repealed.  Two statutes describing the duties of the director are amended to reflect the commission's responsibility for determining the director's duties.  In a number of places in the Fisheries Code, references to "rules of the director" are replaced with "rules of the department."

Votes on Final Passage:

House     98 0

Senate    47 0 (Senate amended)

House     89 0 (House concurred)

Effective:  July 1, 1996