HB 2307-S - DIGEST

 

                  (SEE ALSO PROPOSED 2ND SUB)

 

     Finds that the state of Washington and its political subdivisions sell large amounts of timber from their public lands.  Revenues from those timber sales are used to support school construction, benefit the state's higher education institutions, and provide assistance to other trust beneficiaries.  The legislature is concerned with the declining revenues that are being generated for these trusts, and at the amount of timber that is being harvested from public lands in Washington but being processed outside of the state.

     Declares an intent to provide more flexibility in the operation of the timber substitution rules in order to increase the potential amount of money that can benefit the trusts, provide mills within Washington state with a more certain wood supply, give necessary rule-making authority to a state agency to adopt necessary changes to the timber substitution rules, and to statutorily authorize the timber substitution rules.