Brief Description: Authorizing a one-year deferral of hunter education training.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Blake, Kretz, Orcutt, Takko and Haigh).

House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources
Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation

Background:

Hunter Education and Licensure.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has authority to license all hunters. The WDFW also is authorized to establish hunting, trapping, and fishing seasons and prescribe the time, place, manner, and methods that may be used to harvest or enjoy game fish and wildlife. The money collected from the sale of licenses, permits, tags, and stamps is deposited into the State Wildlife Account.

A hunter education certificate is required in order to hunt, for a person born after January 1, 1972, and purchasing a hunting license for the first time. The instruction includes at least 10 hours in the safe handling of firearms, safety, conservation, and sportsmanship. The WDFW may also accept certificates from other states indicating that a person has successfully completed firearm safety, hunter education, or a similar course.

Hunting Violation Enforcement.
If a person is convicted twice within 10 years for a violation involving unlawful hunting, killing, or possessing big game, the WDFW has authority to order revocation and suspension of all hunting privileges for two years. If the WDFW finds the person had a willful or wanton disregard for conservation of fish or wildlife, the WDFW is authorized to suspend all hunting privileges permanently. Other suspensions exist for such crimes as: bear baiting, illegal use of dogs, failing to appear at a hearing to contest a WDFW infraction, and assault on WDFW employees while performing their duties.

Summary:

Hunter Education and Licensure.
The WDFW is authorized to defer the hunter education certificate requirement for one year and allow an individual to hunt under the direct supervision and in the physical presence of an adult who has been licensed for at least the previous three years in Washington. The deferred hunter education license may be issued only once in a lifetime.

The application fee for a deferred hunter safety license may not exceed $20 and must be used exclusively to administer the deferral program.

Hunter Violation Enforcement.
If either the deferred education licensee or the required nondeferred accompanying person is convicted of a big game or hunter safety violation, the WDFW may revoke all hunting licenses and tags of either or both hunters and may order a suspension of either or both hunter's hunting privileges for one year.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   96   0
Senate   43   3

Effective: July 22, 2007