SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6529

              As Passed Senate, February 8, 1996

Title:  An act relating to fish and wildlife department recreational fishing and hunting licenses.

Brief Description:  Requiring the fish and wildlife commission to simplify licensing requirements for recreational hunting and fishing.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Drew, Owen, Oke, Sutherland and Winsley).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources:  1/26/96, 1/30/96 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/8/96, 46-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6529 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Drew, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; A. Anderson, Hargrove, Haugen, Morton, Oke, Owen, Snyder, Strannigan and Swecker.

Staff:  Ross Antipa (786-7413)

Background:  The recreational fishing and hunting license structure of the Department of Fish and Wildlife is unnecessarily complex and difficult for public compliance, and dealer issuance.

The administration of recreational licenses needs to be simplified.

Summary of Bill:  The Fish and Wildlife Commission is required to develop proposed legislation to simplify and modernize the recreational fishing and hunting license system by the 1998 legislative session.

The commission must make interim improvements to the current license system.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The current system is unnecessarily burdensome upon the hunting and fishing public and the license agents.

Testimony Against:  The time deadlines in the legislation are too short to allow the commission a full opportunity to debate the issues and form recommendations.

Testified:  Roger Ficek, GTech (pro); Becky Bogard, GTech Corp. (pro); Bill Jones, HUB Sportsmen, Wild Cat Steelhead Club (pro); Bruce Crawford, WDFW.