FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1806

                         C 226 L 97

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Increasing penalties for the illegal killing and possession of wildlife.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by  Representatives Alexander, Grant, Mastin, Buck, Johnson, Butler, Hatfield, Kessler, Sheldon, Chandler, Thompson, Regala, Anderson, Pennington, Clements, Kenney, Sullivan, Blalock, Conway, Mulliken, Tokuda, Constantine, Mason and Schoesler).

House Committee on Natural Resources

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks

Background:  A person convicted of the illegal killing or possession of wildlife must reimburse the state in amounts specified in statute based on the type of wildlife killed or possessed.  These reimbursements are deposited into the public safety and education account.

Summary:  The Legislature finds that wildlife is of great ecological, recreational, aesthetic, and economic value to the people of the state.  The Legislature also finds that the illegal taking and possession of certain valuable wildlife species is increasing at an alarming rate and that the state should be paid restitution for the loss of individual members of these wildlife species.

The amount of required restitution is increased for the illegal killing or possession of moose, mountain sheep, mountain goat, elk, deer, black bear, cougar, mountain caribou, grizzly bear, and other wildlife species classified as endangered by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.  New restitution categories are established for trophy animal deer, elk, and mountain sheep, and a new subsection defines what constitutes a Atrophy animal.@  A person assessed a restitution for the illegal killing or possession of wildlife will have his or her hunting license revoked and all hunting privileges suspended until the restitution is paid.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 37 0

Effective:July 27,  1997