SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5944

              As Passed Senate, February 10, 2000

Title:  An act relating to management of state‑owned aquatic lands.

Brief Description:  Describing those lands eligible to be included in a port district aquatic lands management agreement.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Snyder.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  3/1/99, 3/3/99 [DP-WM].

Ways & Means:  3/5/99, 3/8/99 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/12/99, 49-0; 2/10/00, 45-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

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

Staff:  Vic Moon (786-7469)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Bauer, Vice Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Honeyford, Kline, Long, McDonald, Rossi, Snyder, West and Winsley.

Staff:  Kari Guy (786-7437)

Background:  State-owned aquatic lands are managed by the Department of Natural Resources.  Revenues from use of the lands are divided between the Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account and the Resource Management Cost Account.  Several cities lease state aquatic lands and have built marinas or marine recreation facilities on those lands.  At the present time, the ports in Washington may manage state aquatic lands within port districts through an agreement with DNR, with no payments for water-dependent uses.

Summary of Bill:  Cities and towns that operate a marina may, upon the cities= request, enter into an agreement authorizing the city to manage state-owned aquatic lands for the purpose of operating a publicly-owned marina.  No rent is due for the use of state-owned aquatic lands managed under an agreement between the city and the Department of Natural Resources.  A city that operates a publicly-owned marina within the territorial limits of a port district must obtain the approval of the port commission prior to applying to the department for a management agreement.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The cities should be treated the same as the port districts.  Free rents for aquatic lands which are used for public purposes is fair.  Cities provide services to the community not available from port or private marinas.  This bill addresses the inequity in the current rate structure.

Testimony Against:  This measure costs the aquatic lands enhancement account.  The ports got free rent because of giving up the harbor management fund use.  This will reduce funding for ALEA capital programs.  Cities would have no incentive to provide public access.

Testified:  Joe Dusenbury, City of Des Moines (pro); Nick Thompson, City  of South Bend (pro); Paul Silver, Department of Natural Resources (con).