SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5020

               As Passed Senate, March 12, 1999

Title:  An act relating to recreational licenses.

Brief Description:  Allowing dealers of recreational licenses to collect a fee of at least two dollars for each license sold.

Sponsors:  Senators Snyder and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  1/20/99, 1/21/99 [DP].

Ways & Means:  2/10/99., 2/16/99 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/12/99, 35-12.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; T. Sheldon, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Morton, Oke, Snyder, Spanel.

Staff:  Ross Antipa (786-7413)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Kline, Kohl‑Welles, Long, Rasmussen, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Thibaudeau, West and Winsley.

Staff:  Kari Guy (786-7437)

Background:  Dealers who sell fishing and hunting licenses, permits, tags, and stamps issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife receive a dealer fee of $1 on each license sold and 50 cents on each tag, permit, and stamp sold.  Dealer fees are set by the Fish and Wildlife Commission and are uniform throughout the state.

The fishing and hunting license statutes were significantly changed in the 1998 legislative session.  In addition, the use of online computers was mandated to begin in 1999.  Both of these changes will require additional investments in training of license clerks and additional resources from license dealers.  Dealers' fees can be statutorily increased to compensate dealers for their increased costs.

Summary of Bill:  Dealers' fees set by the Fish and Wildlife Commission for the issuance of fishing and hunting licenses must be a minimum of $2 per license.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For (Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation):  Fishing and hunting license dealers are incurring additional costs due to changes in the license format.  Many dealers have opted to cease selling licenses due to financial losses from insufficient dealer fees.

Testimony Against (Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation):  None.

Testified (Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation):  PRO:  Mark Cedergreen, Westport Charterboat Assn.; Barb Lindsay, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Assn.; Milton Gudgell, Ilwaco Charters; Dave Brittel, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife; Mellonie Rongey, Bob=s Merchandise; Larry Giese, Westport/Grayland Chamber of Commerce.

Testimony For (Ways & Means):  The state is losing dealers because of the time and cost required for selling licenses.  The $2 fee will help compensate dealers for the additional effort associated with the revised license format.

Testimony Against (Ways & Means):  None.

Testified (Ways & Means):  Gary Dennis, Dennis Company; PRO:  Mellonie Rongey, Bob=s Merchandise; Gary Wallace, Four Corners Grocery Store; Dave Brittell, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.

House Amendment(s):  A transaction fee may be established by the commission and collected from license buyers who purchase licenses from an automated licensing service.  The amount of the transaction fee is not specified.  The transaction fee would be paid directly to a contractor providing the automated licensing service.

The commission may set a dealer fee below the level set for each standard hunting and fishing license for tags, stamps, or cards.

A two-day personal use shellfish and seaweed license is created for residents and nonresidents.  The fee is $6.

An emergency clause is added.