VETO MESSAGE ON SB 6302

                   March 30, 1996

To the Honorable President and Members,

  The Senate of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am returning herewith, without my approval, Senate Bill No. 6302 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to appointment of a county legislative authority member of the forest practices board;"

     Senate Bill No. 6302 limits the governor's appointments to the Forest Practices Board.  Currently the governor is required to appoint an elected member of a county legislative authority to serve as one of eleven members of the Forest Practices Board.  This legislation would add the additional constraint of limiting the governor's selection to an exclusive list of three candidates specifically provided by the Washington State Association of Counties.

     A change in the method of appointing the county representative to the Forest Practices Board is not appropriate.  Limiting the governor's selection to a list of three candidates provided by the Washington State Association of Counties is a clear infringement on gubernatorial appointment authority and is an unwarranted delegation of governmental authority to a private association.

     For these reasons, I have vetoed Senate Bill No. 6302 in its entirety.

                   Respectfully submitted,

                   Mike Lowry

                   Governor