Title: An act relating to the treatment of the nonresident children of state residents for the purposes of hunting and fishing licenses.

Brief Description: Modifying the definition of "resident" for the purposes of Title 77 RCW.

Sponsors: Representatives Buri, Kretz, Green, Grant, Newhouse, Blake, DeBolt, Orcutt, Haler, B. Sullivan and Buck.

Brief History: Passed House: 3/04/05, 92-0.

Committee Activity: Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation: 3/17/05, 3/21/05 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, OCEAN & RECREATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; Doumit, Vice Chair; Oke, Ranking Minority Member; Fraser, Hargrove, Morton, Spanel, Stevens and Swecker.

Staff: Curt Gavigan (786-7437)

Background: A recreational license issued by the Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) is required for any person to participate in a hunting, trapping, or fishing season. The fee for these licenses are set by statute, and many fees are set so that participants that are not Washington residents pay a higher rate. For instance, Washington residents pay $18 for a saltwater fishing license, while non-residents pay $36 for this license. Likewise, the resident price for a small game license is set at $30, and the non-resident price is $150.

A person can qualify for the resident rate if he or she: (1) has maintained a permanent home within Washington for at least 90 days before applying to the Department for a licence; (2) has established an intent to continue living in Washington; and (3) is not licensed to hunt or fish as a resident in another state.

Summary of Bill: A person 18 years of age or younger, who does not qualify as a resident, is able to purchase a hunting and fishing license from the Department at the lower resident rate if his or her parent qualifies for the resident rate.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Currently, children from out-of-state must pay the non-resident licensing rates to hunt or fish with their parents. The out-of-state rate is prohibitive for some parents and discourages them from teaching their children firearm safety skills and hunting ethics. Any bill that encourages parents to hunt with their kids is a good idea, and the fiscal impact to the state would be minimal.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Representative Buri; Ed Owens, Hunters Heritage Council; Frank J. Hawley, Department of Fish and Wildlife.