HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5653

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Natural Resources

Title:  An act relating to the establishment of procedures for direct sale of timber from state‑owned land.

Brief Description:  Concerning the sale of salvageable timber from state‑owned lands.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Senators Oke and Snyder; by request of Commissioner of Public Lands and Department of Natural Resources).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Natural Resources:  3/25/97, 4/3/97 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Buck, Chairman; Sump, Vice Chairman; Thompson, Vice Chairman; Regala, Ranking Minority Member; Alexander; Anderson; Chandler; Hatfield; Pennington and Sheldon.

Staff:  Linda Byers (786-7129).

Background:  The Department of Natural Resources sells valuable materials from state-owned lands according to procedures established in statute.  Valuable materials include standing timber, fallen timber, stone, and gravel.  The department may sell valuable materials of an appraised value of $1,000 or less for cash at full appraised value without notice or advertising.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Natural Resources may sell valuable materials for cash without notice or advertising at a full appraised value not to exceed $20,000.  The Board of Natural Resources must, by resolution, establish the value amount of a direct sale not to exceed $20,000 in appraised sale value and establish procedures to assure that competitive market prices and accountability are guaranteed.  The board must also establish procedures to protect against cedar theft and to insure that adequate notice is given for persons interested in purchasing cedar.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This will be a helpful tool for the Department of Natural Resources regional managers.  When there is downed timber from events such as the recent storms, this will allow the department to sell it quickly before insect problems set in.  At the time the original law was passed, the exemption allowed for more direct sales because timber values were lower.  There are many situations where the department could have used this policy change this year.  Neighboring landowners were able to salvage quickly after the storms while the department could not.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Bob Oke, prime sponsor; and Kaleen Cottingham, Department of Natural Resources (both in favor).