Title: An act relating to providing a mechanism to encourage volunteers to teach hunter education programs in Washington.

Brief Description: Encouraging volunteers to teach hunter education courses.

Sponsors: House Committee on Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Cox, Buri, Williams, Blake, Moeller, Buck, Conway, Sump, P. Sullivan, Springer, Haler, Ericks, Kretz, Simpson, Dunn and Ormsby).

Brief History: Passed House: 2/09/06, 98-0.

Committee Activity: Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation: 2/15/06, 2/16/06 [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, Morton, Spanel, Stevens and Swecker.

Staff: Curt Gavigan (786-7437)

Background: A recreational license issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) is required to hunt for classified wildlife in Washington. When purchasing a hunting license, persons under the age of 18 must present certification of the completion of a course of instruction of at least 10 hours in the safe handling of firearms, safety, conservation, and sportsmanship. This requirement also applies to persons purchasing a hunting license for the first time if born after January 1, 1972.

The hunter education program is managed by DFW. Courses focus on the topics of firearms and outdoor safety, wildlife management, and hunter responsibility. The average course includes between four to six sessions and spans a total of 16 hours or more. All hunter education instructors are certified by DFW.

Summary of Bill: The Fish and Wildlife Commission is directed to develop nonmonetary incentives for hunter education instructors. The incentives offered for instructors may include additional hunting opportunities.

Technical changes are made to the hunter education statute.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: This bill is an effort to support those currently teaching hunter education courses and to help attract additional hunter education instructors to the program. Recently, young people in the Spokane and Pullman areas have been unable to get into hunter education courses because those courses were at capacity. Providing incentives to hunter education instructors may alleviate this problem.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Rep. Cox; Ed Owens, Hunters Heritage Council; Bruce Bjork, DFW.