SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESSB 6149

              As Passed Senate, February 12, 2000

Title:  An act relating to the sale of specific lands for the purposes of resolving trespass on state forest lands.

Brief Description:  Allowing the disposition of state forest lands without public auction.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation (originally sponsored by Senators Jacobsen, T. Sheldon and Rasmussen; by request of Commissioner of Public Lands).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation: 1/13/2000, 1/20/2000 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/12/2000, 44-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6149 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

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

Staff:  Vic Moon (786-7469)

Background:  Methods currently exist to solve encroachment of landowners when they trespass on federally granted state trust land.  The ownership dispute resolution methods used on granted land do not apply to the state legislative created forest board lands, and a complex exchange and sale process must be used.

Summary of Bill:  The Board of Natural Resources is given the authority to sell forest board lands to resolve trespass or condemnation.  Up to ten contiguous acres of lands or lands having a value of $25,000 or less are eligible.  The lands must be sold at fair market value and the funds received are deposited in the park land trust revolving account to be used to purchase replacement lands in the same county as the property that was sold.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available

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

Testimony For:  The existing process to resolve small trespass and condemnation issues is cumbersome and expensive.  A simple process which protects the public is needed.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Kaleen Cottingham, Deputy Public Lands Commissioner (pro).