H-3558.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1627

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2002 Regular Session

By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Fromhold, Dunn, Ogden, Edmonds, Dunshee, Jarrett and Edwards)

Read first time 01/30/2002.  Referred to Committee on .

Encouraging the use of conservation futures for salmon restoration purposes.

    AN ACT Relating to using revenues under the county conservation futures levy; and amending RCW 84.34.230 and 84.34.240.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 84.34.230 and 1995 c 318 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

Conservation futures are a useful tool for counties to preserve lands of public interest for future generations.  Counties are encouraged to use conservation futures as one tool for salmon restoration purposes.

    For the purpose of acquiring conservation futures ((as well as)) and other rights and interests in real property pursuant to RCW 84.34.210 and 84.34.220, a county may levy an amount not to exceed ((six and one-quarter)) ten cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation against the assessed valuation of all taxable property within the county.  The limitations in RCW 84.52.043 shall not apply to the tax levy authorized in this section.  Any rights or interests in real property acquired under this section must be located within the assessing county.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 84.34.240 and 1971 ex.s. c 243 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

Conservation futures are a useful tool for counties to preserve lands of public interest for future generations.  Counties are encouraged to use conservation futures as one tool for salmon restoration purposes.

    Any ((board of)) county ((commissioners)) legislative authority may establish by resolution a special fund which may be termed a conservation futures fund to which it may credit all taxes levied pursuant to RCW 84.34.230.  Amounts placed in this fund ((may)) must be used ((solely)) for the purpose of acquiring rights and interests in real property pursuant to the terms of RCW 84.34.210 and 84.34.220.  Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting in any manner methods and funds otherwise available to a county for financing the acquisition of such rights and interests in real property.  Any rights or interests in real property acquired under this section must be located within the assessing county.

Nothing in this section may be construed as limiting in any manner methods and funds otherwise available to a county for financing the acquisition of such rights and interests in real property.

                            --- END ---