SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESSB 5131

                As Passed Senate, March 6, 1995

Title:  An act relating to changing interagency committee for outdoor recreation accounts and accounting procedures.

Brief Description:  Revising account names and accounting procedures of the IAC.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Ecology & Parks (originally sponsored by Senators Spanel and Sellar; by request of Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Ecology & Parks:  1/12/95, 1/19/95 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 3/6/95, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ECOLOGY & PARKS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5131 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

  Signed by Senators Fraser, Chair; C. Anderson, Vice Chair; McAuliffe, McDonald, Spanel and Swecker.

Staff:  Cathy Baker (786-7708)

Background:  The Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC) was established in 1964 by Initiative 215.  Originally, the agency administered a single grant program, funded by unclaimed marine fuel tax refunds, to assist local governments and state agencies in acquiring and developing marine recreation facilities. 

Currently, IAC manages six grant programs funded from a variety of state and federal sources.  These include the Marine Recreation Lands Program; the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program; the Nonhighway and Off Road Vehicle Activities Program; the Firearms Range Program; the Land and Water Conservation Fund; and the National Recreation Trails Act.

The IAC currently has three accounts for these grant programs: the firearms range account; the habitat conservation account; and the outdoor recreation account.

Under the Marine Recreation Lands Program, funds for local government projects are appropriated to the IAC, which reimburses grant recipients.  Funds for state agency projects are appropriated directly to those agencies.

Summary of Bill:  The recreation resource account is created.  Monies received from the marine fuel tax refund account must be deposited into this account.  Technical changes are made in provisions dealing with the transfer of unclaimed marine fuel tax refund monies to the marine fuel tax refund account and the recreation resource account.

The nonhighway offroad vehicle activities project account is created.  Funds appropriated to the IAC for ORV and nonhighway road recreation facility grants are to be deposited into this account.

The outdoor recreation account is to receive appropriations for the purchase of outdoor recreation lands under the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.

Funds for acquisition of marine recreation access sites by state agencies are appropriated to the IAC, rather than directly to the relevant state agencies.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 6, 1995.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The bill will help improve efficiency and accountability in administering IAC grant funds.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Laura Eckert, Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (pro); Maggie Coon, The Nature Conservancy (pro).