SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6669

              As Passed Senate, February 14, 1998

Title:  An act relating to perpetual timber rights.

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).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources & Parks:  2/3/98, 2/5/98 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/14/98, 47-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6669 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

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

Staff:  Vic Moon (786-7469)

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.  In the state of Washington, there are timber cutting rights which have been severed from land ownership rights.  While they are not common, one company, Boise Cascade, has extensive timber cutting rights.  This simply means that the company has rights to cut the timber but does not own the underlying land.  By limiting the agreement in the existing statute for conversion to a landowner, the timber right owner is not protected.

Summary of Bill:  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.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This is a technical correction to ensure that the owner of timber can cut that timber.  The Forest Practices Act and all other protections will still be in place.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Tim Boyd, WFPA; Bill Howard, Boise Cascade Corporation; Don Krupp, WA State Association of Counties; Amy Bell, DNR.