FINAL BILL REPORT

                  ESB 5011

                          C 366 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Concerning specialized forest product permits.

Sponsors:  Senator Owen.

Senate Committee on Natural Resources

House Committee on Natural Resources

Background:  Specialized forest products harvest in the state of Washington is a major industry.  It includes products such as floral greens, holiday greens, wild edible plants, medicinal plants, native landscaping plants, plants used for mitigation projects to replace wetlands, and wild mushrooms.

There has been concern about possible over-harvesting of some plants, and with the problem of trespass in the forests.  There is not adequate information available to assess the question of over-harvest at the present time, but that issue can be addressed in the future with adequate reporting methods.  Transactions involving Christmas trees, cedar products or cedar salvage are covered by different provisions of current law.

Summary:  The specialized forest products statute is updated.

Mosses, bear grass and scotch broom are added as special forest products, and pine cones and seeds are exempt.  The permit system requires that each permit be separately numbered and issued by consecutive numbers.  The person applying for a permit must show a picture identification.  The sheriff's office or its agent verifies the identification when the permit is validated.  The permit or true copy must be carried by the picker and available for inspection at all times.  All persons harvesting specialized forest products are required to have the permit if they are picking commercial quantities of specialized forest products.

Buyers of specialized forest products may not purchase any product without recording the permit number, the permittee's name, the type of forest product purchased, and the amount of the product purchased.  The buyer must keep a record of this information for a period of one year.  The buyer of specialized forest products must record the license plate number of the vehicle transporting the forest products and the seller's permit number on the bill of sale.  Retail sales are exempt from the requirements for buyers.

County sheriffs may contract to allow other entities such as the United States Forest Service and the Department of Natural Resources to issue the specialized forest product permits.  Records collected concerning forest products may be available to colleges and universities for the purpose of research.

The Asian-American Affairs Commission, the Commission on Hispanic Affairs, and the Department of Natural Resources are encouraged to promote an understanding of this act among interested minority groups.

A severability clause is included.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    48 0

House     89 7 (House amended)

Senate        (Senate refused to concur)

Conference Committee

House     82 8

Senate    46 0

Effective:  July 23, 1995