SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5701

                    As of February 18, 1999

Title:  An act relating to consolidating fish and wildlife officers into the Washington state patrol.

Brief Description:  Consolidating fish and wildlife officers into the Washington state patrol.

Sponsors:  Senator Snyder.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  2/24/99.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Staff:  David Johnson (786-7754)

Background:  The Department of Fish and Wildlife is responsible for the enforcement of Titles 75 and 77 RCW.  Those titles govern the use of food fish, shellfish, game, and game fish.

It is hoped that moving these responsibilities to the State Patrol will provide for more effective and responsive enforcement as well as better protection of these resources.

Summary of Bill:  A Fish and Wildlife Bureau is established in the Washington State Patrol which is given the duty to enforce Titles 75 and 77.  All current Fish and Wildlife employees involved in enforcement or carrying out the transferred duties are themselves transferred to the State Patrol.  Collective bargaining units and agreements are not affected by the change.  All assets, authorizations, appropriations, and funds of Fish and Wildlife related to the transferred duties are also transferred.

A transition committee is established to make recommendations to the State Patrol Chief.  The committee reports back to the Legislature one year from the effective date of the act.

Officers, sergeants, and detectives are given a rank and class equivalent to their current State Patrol counterparts.  Second-line supervisors are given a rank and class within the State Patrol's current structure that is functionally equivalent to their current rank.  Up to 12 officers and their support staff can remain with the Fish and Wildlife Department to deal with problem wildlife and animal damage control, but are no longer commissioned officers.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 5, 1999.

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