Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Natural Resources

HB 1017

Brief Description:  Concerning lands vehicle use permits.

Sponsors:  Representatives Pennington and Mielke.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to issue two WDFW lands vehicle use permits (decals) with the purchase of a hunting, fishing, trapping, or combination license.

$Reduces the penalty for failure to display a WDFW lands vehicle use permit by ten dollars if a lands vehicle use permit is purchased within 30 days of the citation.

Hearing Date:  2/7/01

Staff:  Jason Callahan (786‑7117).

Background: 

The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages over 800,000 acres of wildlife habitat, many of which have improved access areas for parking, and over 600 boating and fishing access sites on Washington=s lakes, rivers, and streams.  These lands are open to the public for such activities as hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation.  Prior to April 1999, a person wishing to use these lands that did not purchase a hunting or fishing license was required to purchase a ten dollar Conservation License.  In 1998, the legislature eliminated the personally held Conservation License, and replaced it with a vehicle specific lands access permit.

All persons using one of the WDFW=s 249 approved access facilities, such as a parking area or a boat launch, is required to have a vehicle lands access permit (or ?decal@) displayed on their vehicle.  The permit is issued by the WDFW, and is in the form of a permanently affixed decal.  The decal must then be displayed in the rear window of the user=s vehicle.

Any person purchasing a hunting, fishing, trapping, or combination license is issued one decal at no additional cost.  If a person wishes to access WDFW land without purchasing a hunting, fishing, trapping, or combination license, he or she may purchase a decal from any of the WDFW=s authorized license dealers for the cost of ten dollars.  Decals are not transferable between different vehicles.  Any person who has received a decal with their sporting license, or has purchased a decal individually, may purchase addition decals at a reduced price for each vehicle they can prove to the WDFW they own.  The cost of additional decals is five dollars each. 

Failure to display the vehicle lands access permit, or decal, while on WDFW managed lands is punishable by a fine of sixty-six dollars.

Summary of Bill: 

The Department of Fish and Wildlife will issue two vehicle lands use permits (decals) with each hunting, fishing, trapping, or combination license purchased.  The penalty to the registered owner of any vehicle using a WDFW improved access facility without properly displaying the decal will be a sixty-six dollar fine; however, that amount will be reduced by ten dollars if the violator offers proof to the WDFW that he or she purchased a decal within 30 days of receiving the notice of violation.

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

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.