BILL REQ. #:  S-0785.1 

Read first time 01/20/2003.   Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing the future of Washington forests review commission; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The future of Washington forests review commission is established. The purpose of the commission is to review broadly the economic, demographic, land use development, environmental, natural and climatic, and other trends that will influence the geographic extent and environmental and economic productivity of Washington's forests over the next fifty years. The commission will review these trends within the context of the public's present and future expectations regarding the values it seeks from Washington's forests. Based upon this review, the commission will make recommendations to the governor and to the legislature for policy and budgetary allocations to further achievement of these changing public expectations.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The future of Washington forests review commission is composed of the following members and members invited to participate on the commission:
     (a) The governor or the governor's designee;
     (b) The commissioner of public lands or the commissioner's designee;
     (c) Two members of the senate appointed by the senate president, one from each major caucus in the senate;
     (d) Two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one from each major caucus in the house of representatives;
     (e) The presidents, or the presidents' designees, of the University of Washington and Washington State University;
     (f) Members representing the following interests, appointed by the governor after consulting with the commissioner of public lands and with the majority and minority leaders in the senate and house of representatives:
     (i) A representative of industrial forest landowners;
     (ii) A representative of nonindustrial forest landowners;
     (iii) A representative of businesses engaged in forest products processing and distribution;
     (iv) A representative of general purpose local government;
     (v) A representative of organizations engaged in forest conservation and preservation;
     (vi) A representative of the United States forest service must be invited to participate on the commission;
     (vii) A representative of tribal governments must be invited to participate on the commission.
     (2) The governor shall convene the commission at an organizational meeting no later than October 15, 2003. At such meeting, the commission shall select a chairperson to preside over commission meetings and a vice-chairperson to preside in the chairperson's absence.
     (3) Staff to the commission must be provided by the department of natural resources. The chair of the commission may also request assistance on any topic or element of the commission's review from the college of forest resources of the University of Washington. The commission must be administratively located within the department of natural resources. State agencies shall provide the commission with information and assistance as may be requested by the commission.
     (4) Members of the commission, other than legislative members, must be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. Legislative members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 44.04.120.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The future of Washington forests review commission may form a technical advisory committee to assist the commission in the preparation of technical papers on the social, economic, environmental, demographic, land use development, natural and climatic, and other trends that will affect the state's forests over the next fifty years. The technical committee may also assist the commission in analyzing the economic, environmental, and other values provided by the state's forests and the expectations of the public regarding the values to be provided by forests over the next fifty years.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   (1) The future of Washington forests review commission shall review and summarize the potential roles of forests and their contributions to Washington state over the next fifty years. The commission shall examine the current condition and roles of forests and their contributions to the state's character, quality of life, and economic vitality. Specifically, the commission shall study issues, policies, and trends that may influence or involve forest health, risks of wildland fire and potential damages or benefits, fish and wildlife habitat conditions, activities undertaken on federally controlled land, forestry-related tax revenue, state land trust revenue, jobs, and the public's desires for forests. The commission shall also examine current and expected innovation in forest products, habitat restoration, postwildfire rehabilitation, and other innovations that may change the expectations for forests in Washington and how they are managed.
     (2) In conducting its review, the commission shall provide for extensive public participation and involvement. The commission shall attempt to schedule its meetings in locations throughout the state and make its meetings convenient for the public to attend.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   The future of Washington forests review commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the senate and house of representatives on or before June 30, 2005.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   The future of Washington forests review commission and its powers and duties terminate June 30, 2005.