H-3746.1  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 2908

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Edwards, Fortunato, Morris, Eickmeyer, Anderson, Haigh and Santos

 

Read first time 01/24/2000.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Creating a uniform outdoor recreation permitting system.


    AN ACT Relating to the coordination of outdoor recreation licenses, permits, and use fees; adding new sections to chapter 79A.25 RCW; and creating a new section.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  Outdoor recreation is increasingly important to the citizens of the state of Washington.  A large number of outdoor recreation licenses, permits, and use fees are required in Washington state from multiple governmental agencies.  These licenses, permits, and use fees are not coordinated in any manner, which is often confusing and inconvenient to outdoor recreation enthusiasts.  A uniform outdoor recreation permitting system will provide better service to the citizens of the state by simplifying the procedure for  participating in outdoor recreation.  Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that state agencies involved in outdoor recreation cooperate to develop and implement a uniform outdoor recreation permitting system.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  (1) The committee, in cooperation with the parks and recreation commission, the fish and wildlife commission, and any other interested state agencies, shall develop and implement a uniform outdoor recreation permitting system.  The uniform outdoor recreation permitting system allows all outdoor recreation licenses, permits, and use fees to be purchased in the same location with one fee.  The uniform outdoor recreation permitting system will provide a single form of documentation that will verify which specific outdoor recreation licenses, permits, or use fees have been purchased.

    (2) For the purposes of this chapter, outdoor recreation licenses, permits, or use fees include:

    (a) Fees for the use of state park facilities under RCW 79A.05.070(6);

    (b) Winter recreational area parking permits under RCW 79A.05.225;

    (c) Fees for the use of underwater parks under RCW 79A.05.365;

    (d) Water trail recreation program permits under RCW 79A.05.400;

    (e) Fees for the use of the Washington state horse park under RCW 79A.30.040(4);

    (f) Fees for the use of trails designated under chapter 79A.35 RCW;

    (g) Fishing licenses under chapter 75.25 RCW;

    (h) Licenses or permits required under RCW 77.32.010(1) (a) and (g);

    (i) Disabled hunter's permits under RCW 77.32.237;

    (j) Transport tags for game under RCW 77.32.320;

    (k) Supplemental permits or stamps under RCW 77.32.350;

    (l) Conservation licenses under RCW 77.32.380;

    (m) Big game hunting licenses under RCW 77.32.450;

    (n) Small game hunting licenses under RCW 77.32.460;

    (o) Personal use fishing licenses under RCW 77.32.470;

    (p) Reduced rate combination fishing licenses under RCW 77.32.490; or

    (q) Any other outdoor recreation license, permit, or use fee identified by the committee.

    (3) The uniform outdoor recreation permitting system must take into consideration that the revenue from different outdoor recreation licenses, permits, and use fees are dedicated to different funds in the state treasury.  The uniform outdoor recreation permitting system shall not divert any of these revenues from their intended funds.  In developing and implementing the uniform outdoor recreation permitting system, the committee shall not increase the fee for any outdoor license or permit, or any outdoor recreation use fee.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  The committee shall make reasonable efforts to coordinate with local governments to include any local outdoor recreation licenses, permits, or use fees within the uniform outdoor recreation permitting system.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  The committee shall make reasonable efforts to coordinate with the federal government to include any federal outdoor recreation licenses, permits, or use fees within the uniform outdoor recreation permitting system.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 79A.25 RCW.

 


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