Title: An act relating to turkey tags.

Brief Description: Requiring a turkey tag to hunt for turkey.

Sponsors: Senators Oke, Swecker and Jacobsen.

Brief History:

Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks: 3/18/05, 3/24/05 [DP];

Finance: 4/1/05, 4/4/05 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, ECOLOGY & PARKS

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 10 members: Representatives B. Sullivan, Chair; Upthegrove, Vice Chair; Buck, Ranking Minority Member; Kretz, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Blake, DeBolt, Dickerson, Hunt, Orcutt and Williams.

Staff: Jeff Olsen (786-7157).

Background:

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is responsible for managing wildlife and authorizing the taking of wildlife. Except for big game, a small game hunting license is required to hunt for all classified wild animals and wild birds. The fee for a small game hunting license is $30 for residents, $150 for nonresidents, and $15 for youth. A turkey transport tag is included with the purchase of a small game license. Additional turkey tags cost $18 for residents, $60 for nonresidents, and $9 for youth. Transport tags are required for certain game, including wild turkeys, and a person who kills a wild turkey shall immediately validate and attach their own transport tag to the carcass.

In Chapter 371, Laws of 2002, the Legislature directed the Fish and Wildlife Commission to evaluate the adequacy, structure, and amount of fees for hunting and fishing licenses and make recommendations for revision of the fee structure and schedule as appropriate. Several proposals were developed and recommended, including a proposal to remove the primary turkey tag from the small game license and charge a fee for resident and nonresident tags.

Summary of Bill:

A turkey tag is required to hunt for turkey in addition to a small game license. The fee for a primary turkey tag is $12 for residents and $40 for nonresidents. A purchaser of a youth small game license may request a primary turkey tag for no charge.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This is a companion bill to HB 1215, and while the House bill added language to dedicate these funds to upland game bird management, there is support for this version of the bill. The Department of Fish and Wildlife prefers to not dedicate these funds in statute like SHB 1215, but rather prefers that this is accomplished with a budget proviso.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Ed Owens, Hunters Heritage Council; and Steve Puzzanghera, Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives McIntire, Chair; Hunter, Vice Chair; Orcutt, Ranking Minority Member; Conway, Hasegawa and Santos.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 3 members: Representatives Roach, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ahern and Ericksen.

Staff: Mark Matteson (786-7145).

Summary of Recommendation of Committee On Finance Compared to Recommendation of Committee On Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks:

No new changes were recommended.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: None.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.