HB 1692 - DIGEST

Provides that land acquired by the state under RCW 79.22.040 and 79.22.100 must be deeded back to the original county by the department when requested to do so by the legislative authority of the county under this act during the time periods established by the department under RCW 79.22.040. Land deeded back to the county is no longer part of the state forest lands, and includes all valuable materials, oils, gases, coals, minerals, or fossils associated with the land.

Provides that the legislative authority of any county that has deeded land to the department of natural resources under RCW 79.22.040 or 79.22.100 may request the department of natural resources to deed that land back to the county during the time periods established for such requests by the department under RCW 79.22.040. If the original land deeded to the department of natural resources has been transferred for other land within the same county, then the county may request the deed of the acquired property to be transferred to the county.

Declares that the county assumes full legal and equitable title to all lands deeded to the county under this act. The lands must be managed for maximum sustained profit as a working forest and be forever reserved from sale.

Provides that any moneys derived from the lease of lands obtained under this act, or from the sale of oils, gases, coal, minerals, fossils, or other valuable materials, as that term is defined in RCW 79.02.010, shall be paid, distributed, and prorated to the various funds in the same manner as general taxes are paid and distributed, except that no distribution may be made to the state general fund. Revenues that would otherwise be dedicated to the state general fund must be redistributed proportionally among the other funds receiving general tax revenue.

Provides that once a county has had land deeded back to it from the department of natural resources under this act, that county may deny any requests made by the department of natural resources under RCW 79.22.040 to have any qualifying lands deeded to the department of natural resources.