BILL REQ. #:  S-0095.2 

Read first time 01/13/2003.   Referred to Committee on Parks, Fish & Wildlife.

     AN ACT Relating to damage to livestock caused by wildlife; and adding a new section to chapter 77.36 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 77.36 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The state is obligated to pay for damage to livestock caused by the state's wildlife. For the purposes of this section, "livestock" means horses, mules, donkeys, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and ratite.
     (2)(a) The division of risk management in the office of financial management must develop procedures to verify loss and provide compensation to people who have had livestock damaged by the state's wildlife. The division of risk management must ensure that people receive full value for the damaged livestock. Full value means the value of the livestock at slaughter or as sold at a public livestock market.
     (b) The procedures developed by the division of risk management must include a process for people to submit claims for damage to livestock caused by the state's wildlife, and must include provisions that require a submission of evidence of the damage, such as video, photographs, or other viable means of proving that the damage to the livestock was caused by the state's wildlife.