Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

HB 2940

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Creates a new fish and wildlife definition for deleterious feral animal in Title 77.
Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to control deleterious feral animal populations.

Background:

The Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) is mandated to preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage wildlife as well as food fish, game fish, and shellfish. Wildlife is defined as any animal species native to the state. Wildlife does not include feral domestic mammals, old world rats, or certain mice.

Deleterious exotic wildlife is any non-native animal to the state and designated as dangerous to the environment or other wildlife. The Fish and Wildlife Commission designates which animals are considered deleterious exotic wildlife. The Department has authority to remove or kill wildlife that is destroying or injuring property including deleterious exotic wildlife. The Department has authority to require the person responsible for the release of a deleterious exotic wildlife animal to pay all costs incurred by the Department in capturing, killing, or controlling the animal.

Summary of Bill:

Deleterious feral animal is defined in Title 77. A deleterious feral animal is any domesticated animal that has escaped or been released and returned to a wild state and threatens to cause or is causing damage to property.

A county may determine if a deleterious animal population has been established and, if so, inform the Department about the population.

Once notified by the county, the Department must develop and initiate implementation of a management plan to eliminate the deleterious animal population or minimize damage to property from the population. Specific property parcels must be included in the management plan, if agreeable to the property owner. The Department is authorized to remove or kill deleterious feral animals as part of implementing the management plan.