SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5174

              As Passed Senate, February 26, 1997

Title:  An act relating to transferring Lind property to Washington State University.

Brief Description:  Transferring property to Washington State University Lind dryland research unit.

Sponsors:  Senators Prince, Loveland, Morton and Rasmussen; by request of Washington State University.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources & Parks:  1/30/97, 2/7/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 2/26/97, 46-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Oke, Chair; Rossi, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Jacobsen, Morton, Prentice, Spanel, Stevens and Swecker.

Staff:  Aldo Melchiori (786-7439)

Background:  The state treasury has been named devisee of certain property in Adams County pursuant to the will of Cleora Neare.  Current law provides that all property devised to the state is to be managed and controlled by the Department of Natural Resources unless conveyed or devised to the state to be used for a particular purpose.

Summary of Bill:  The Legislature finds that it is in the best interest of the state to transfer part of the devised property to Washington State University for use in conjunction with the Lind dryland research unit located in Adams County.

Washington State University is granted ownership, management and control of all of section 6, and the west half of section 5, township 17, range 34 East E.W.M., Adams County, Washington upon the close of probate, or sooner if the property can be transferred without cost, other than probate costs properly allocated to the state as devisee.

The parcel becomes part of the Lind dryland research unit.  Any and all lease income from current leases are deposited in a Washington State University local account dedicated for the benefit of the research unit.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 20, 1997.

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

Testimony For:  Research is needed to develop wheat products that are competitive on the world market.  WSU now only has 320 acres in the Lind research unit and that is insufficient for continuing research.  This property would become a part of the WSU campus.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Ray Shindler, Washington Association of Wheat Growers; Larry Ganders, Washington State University.