H-4287.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2869
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session
By Representatives Sump, Koster, Boldt, Bush, Pennington, Sherstad, Mielke and Thompson
Read first time 01/21/98. Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.
AN ACT Relating to the equal application of conservation practices; amending RCW 75.56.030 and 75.56.040; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that conservation practices for our game animals and game fish should apply equally to all citizens of our state. The legislature also finds that when the voters approved Initiative Measure No. 456 in 1984, they agreed that any limitation upon private property rights should affect all citizens on an equal basis. It is therefore the intent of the legislature to reaffirm the principles of Initiative Measure No. 456 and ensure that all citizens of the state enjoy the same privileges.
Sec. 2. RCW 75.56.030 and 1985 c 1 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
The people of the state of Washington declare that conservation, enhancement, and proper utilization of the state's natural resources, including but not limited to lands, waters, timber, fish, and game are responsibilities of the state of Washington and shall remain within the express domain of the state of Washington.
While fully respecting private property rights, all resources in the state's domain shall be managed by the state alone such that conservation, enhancement, and proper utilization are the primary considerations. No citizen shall be denied equal access to and use of any resource on the basis of race, sex, origin, cultural heritage, membership in or affiliation with any tribe or other group, or by and through any treaty based upon the same.
Sec. 3. RCW 75.56.040 and 1985 c 1 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
The people of the state of Washington declare that under the Indians Citizens Act of 1924, all Indians became citizens of the United States and subject to the Constitution and laws of the United States and state in which they reside. The people further declare that any special off-reservation legal rights or privileges of Indians established through treaties that are denied to other citizens were terminated by that 1924 enactment, and any denial of rights to any citizen based upon race, sex, origin, cultural heritage, membership in or affiliation with any tribe or other group, or by and through any treaty based upon the same is unconstitutional.
No rights, privileges, or immunities shall be denied to any citizen upon the basis of race, sex, origin, cultural heritage, membership in or affiliation with any tribe or other group, or by and through any treaty based upon the same.
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