H-3670.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2415

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Pennington, Mielke, Conway, Scott and Thompson

Read first time 01/13/98.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Exempting certain people from paying the warm water game fish surcharge.

    AN ACT Relating to the warm water game fish enhancement program; and amending RCW 77.44.030.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 77.44.030 and 1996 c 222 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) A warm water game fish surcharge allows a person to fish throughout the state for warm water game fish.

    (2) The annual fee for a game fish surcharge is five dollars and the surcharge is required in addition to an annual game fishing license((, except for those persons under fifteen years of age for which there is no charge)).  Holders of three-day resident fishing licenses, three-day nonresident fishing licenses, and nonresident annual fishing licenses shall pay a five-dollar surcharge to fish for warm water fish.

    (3) The department shall use the most cost-effective format in designing and administering the warm water game fish surcharge.

    (4) A warm water game fish surcharge shall only be required to fish for:  Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, black crappie, white crappie, channel catfish, and tiger musky.

(5) The annual fee for a game fish surcharge is waived for:

(a) Persons under fifteen years old; and

(b) Residents who are honorably discharged veterans of the United States armed forces with a thirty percent or more service-connected disability.

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