BILL REQ. #:  S-4010.2 

Read first time 01/24/2006.   Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation.

     AN ACT Relating to providing a mechanism to encourage volunteers to teach hunter education programs in Washington; and amending RCW 77.32.155 and 77.32.450.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 77.32.155 and 1998 c 191 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) When purchasing any hunting license, persons under the age of eighteen shall present certification of completion of a course of instruction of at least ten hours in the safe handling of firearms, safety, conservation, and sportsmanship. ((Beginning January 1, 1995,)) All persons purchasing any hunting license for the first time, if born after January 1, 1972, shall present such certification.
     (2)(a) The director may establish a program for training persons in the safe handling of firearms, conservation, and sportsmanship and shall prescribe the type of instruction and the qualifications of the instructors. The director may cooperate with the National Rifle Association, organized sportsmen's groups, or other public or private organizations when establishing the training program.
     ((The director shall prescribe the type of instruction and the qualifications of the instructors.)) (b) To encourage the participation of an adequate number of instructors for the training program, all volunteer instructors who taught at least two full classes in the previous year, with at least one class being held between August 15th and November 30th, shall be given the opportunity to purchase one multiple season big game permit under RCW 77.32.450, with the following conditions:
     (i) Up to fifty percent of the multiple season big game permits to be offered each year must be reserved for sale to volunteer hunter education instructors who met the requirements of (b) of this subsection in the previous year;
     (ii) If the number of instructor applicants meeting the requirements of (b) of this subsection exceeds fifty percent of the multiple season big game permits to be offered in a given year, then the permits reserved for instructor applicants must be allocated for purchase to the qualified instructors on a lottery basis.
     (3) Upon the successful completion of ((the)) a course established under this section, ((a)) the trainee shall receive a hunter education certificate signed by an authorized instructor. The certificate is evidence of compliance with this section.
     (4) The director may accept certificates from other states that persons have successfully completed firearm safety, hunter education, or similar courses as evidence of compliance with this section.

Sec. 2   RCW 77.32.450 and 2005 c 140 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A big game hunting license is required to hunt for big game. A big game license allows the holder to hunt for forest grouse, unclassified wildlife, and the individual species identified within a specific big game combination license package. Each big game license includes one transport tag for each species purchased in that package. A hunter may not purchase more than one license for each big game species except as authorized by rule of the commission. The fees for annual big game combination packages are as follows:
     (a) Big game number 1: Deer, elk, bear, and cougar. The fee for this license is sixty-six dollars for residents, six hundred sixty dollars for nonresidents, and thirty-three dollars for youth.
     (b) Big game number 2: Deer and elk. The fee for this license is fifty-six dollars for residents, five hundred sixty dollars for nonresidents, and twenty-eight dollars for youth.
     (c) Big game number 3: Deer or elk, bear, and cougar. At the time of purchase, the holder must identify either deer or elk. The fee for this license is forty-six dollars for residents, four hundred sixty dollars for nonresidents, and twenty-three dollars for youth.
     (d) Big game number 4: Deer or elk. At the time of purchase, the holder must identify either deer or elk. The fee for this license is thirty-six dollars for residents, three hundred sixty dollars for nonresidents, and eighteen dollars for youth.
     (e) Big game number 5: Bear and cougar. The fee for this license is twenty dollars for residents, two hundred dollars for nonresidents, and ten dollars for youth.
     (2) In the event that the commission authorizes a two animal big game limit, the fees for the second animal are as follows:
     (a) Elk: The fee is twenty dollars for residents, two hundred dollars for nonresidents, and ten dollars for youth.
     (b) Deer: The fee is twenty dollars for residents, two hundred dollars for nonresidents, and ten dollars for youth.
     (c) Bear: The fee is ten dollars for residents, one hundred dollars for nonresidents, and five dollars for youth.
     (d) Cougar: The fee is ten dollars for residents, one hundred dollars for nonresidents, and five dollars for youth.
     (3) In the event that the commission authorizes a special permit hunt for goat, sheep, or moose, the permit fees are as follows:
     (a) Mountain goat: The fee is one hundred dollars for residents, one thousand dollars for nonresidents, and fifty dollars for youth.
     (b) Sheep: The fee is one hundred dollars for residents, one thousand dollars for nonresidents, and fifty dollars for youth.
     (c) Moose: The fee is one hundred dollars for residents, one thousand dollars for nonresidents, and fifty dollars for youth.
     (4) Multiple season big game permit: The commission may, by rule, offer permits for hunters to hunt deer or elk during more than one general season. However, the opportunity to purchase one multiple season big game permit per year must be made available to qualified volunteer hunter education instructors in accordance with RCW 77.32.155(2)(b). Only one deer or elk may be harvested annually under a multiple season big game permit. The fee is one hundred fifty dollars for residents and one thousand five hundred dollars for nonresidents.
     (5) Authorization to hunt the species set out under subsection (3)(a) through (c) of this section or in multiple seasons as set out in subsection (4) of this section is by special permit issued under RCW 77.32.370.
     (6) The commission may adopt rules to reduce the price of a license or eliminate the transportation tag requirements concerning bear or cougar when necessary to meet harvest objectives.