S-4622.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6688

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senators Sellar, Winsley and Long

Read first time 01/24/96.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Reducing fishing license fees for juveniles.

    AN ACT Relating to juvenile fishing licenses; amending RCW 77.32.101, 77.32.161, and 77.32.360; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that youth under fifteen years of age benefit from outdoor activities such as fishing, but that such opportunities may be prohibitively expensive.  The legislature declares that providing fishing licenses at reduced fees is a benefit not only for these youth, but to the state of Washington.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 77.32.101 and 1994 c 255 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) A combination hunting and fishing license allows a resident holder to hunt, and to fish for game fish throughout the state.  The fee for this license is twenty-nine dollars.

    (2) A hunting license allows the holder to hunt throughout the state.  The fee for this license is fifteen dollars for residents and one hundred fifty dollars for nonresidents.

    (3) A fishing license allows the holder to fish for game fish throughout the state.  The fee for this license is seventeen dollars for residents ((fifteen)) eighteen years of age or older and under seventy years of age, three dollars for residents fifteen through seventeen years of age or seventy years of age or older, ((twenty dollars for nonresidents under fifteen years of age,)) and forty-eight dollars for nonresidents fifteen years of age or older.  There is no fee for nonresidents under fifteen years of age.

    (4) A steelhead fishing license allows the holder of a combination hunting and fishing license or a fishing license issued under this section to fish for steelhead throughout the state.  The fee for this license is eighteen dollars.

    (5) A juvenile steelhead license allows residents under ((fifteen)) eighteen years of age and nonresidents under ((fifteen)) eighteen years of age who hold a fishing license to fish for steelhead throughout the state.  The fee for this license is six dollars and entitles the holder to take up to five steelhead at which time another juvenile steelhead license may be purchased.  Any person who purchases a juvenile steelhead license is prohibited from purchasing a steelhead license for the same calendar year.

    Sec. 3.  RCW 77.32.161 and 1994 c 255 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

    A nonresident or resident fifteen years of age or older may obtain a temporary fishing license, which allows the holder to fish for game fish throughout the state for either three days or for one day.  The fee for a three-day license is nine dollars for residents and seventeen dollars for nonresidents.  The fee for a one-day license is three dollars for residents and seven dollars for nonresidents.  The resident temporary fishing license is not valid for an eight consecutive day period beginning on the opening day of the lowland lake fishing season.  There is no fee for nonresidents under fifteen years of age.

    Sec. 4.  RCW 77.32.360 and 1995 c 116 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Each person who returns a steelhead catch record card to an authorized license dealer within thirty days following the period for which it was issued shall be given a credit equal to five dollars towards that day's purchase of any license, permit, transport tag, or stamp required by this chapter.  This subsection does not apply to annual steelhead catch record cards for persons under the age of ((fifteen)) eighteen.

    (2) Catch record cards necessary for proper management of the state's game fish resources shall be administered under rules adopted by the director and issued at no charge.

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