FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6669

                          C 100 L 98

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing a holder of perpetual timber rights to sign a statement of intent not to convert the land to other uses for a period of time.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Senators Rossi and T. Sheldon).

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks

House Committee on Natural Resources

Background:  The Legislature passed statutes changing the procedures for conversion of forest lands to other uses.  In that statute, it was provided that a landowner had to commit to the intent that the lands would be kept in forest status or would be converted to another use.  In the state of Washington, there are timber cutting rights which have been severed from land ownership rights.  While these property rights are not common, one company, Boise Cascade, has extensive timber cutting rights.  This means that the company has rights to cut the timber but does not own the underlying land.  By limiting the land use agreement in the existing statute to a landowner, the owner with timber rights is not protected.

Summary:  For the purposes of the state Forest Practices Act, and in the case of an application of forest lands where timber rights have been transferred by a deed to a perpetual owner who is different from the landowner, the owner of the perpetual timber right may sign the statement of intent not to convert to a use other than commercial forest product operations for a set period of time.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 47 1

House     97 0

Effective:  June 11, 1998