SENATE BILL REPORT
SHB 2503
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. |
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation, February 25, 2010
Title: An act relating to modernizing the criteria for membership on the board of natural resources without altering the number of members.
Brief Description: Regarding membership on the board of natural resources.
Sponsors: House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representative Blake).
Brief History: Passed House: 2/13/10, 95-0.
Committee Activity: Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation: 2/22/10, 2/25/10 [DPA].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, OCEAN & RECREATION |
Majority Report: Do pass as amended.
Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; Ranker, Vice Chair; Morton, Ranking Minority Member; Fraser, Hargrove, Hatfield, Stevens and Swecker.
Staff: Curt Gavigan (786-7437)
Background: Role of the Board of Natural Resources (board). The Legislature has provided the board with various powers and duties relating to the management of state-owned lands, including oversight authority regarding management of:
the state's approximately 2.25 million federally granted acres and 626,000 acres of state forest lands; and
the state's approximately 2.6 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands, which includes serving as the constitutionally mandated Harbor Lines Commission to establish or relocate harbor lines to define boundaries for commerce and navigation in navigable waters.
Composition of the board. The board consists of: (1) the Governor or a designee; (2) the Superintendent of Public Instruction; (3) the Commissioner of Public Lands; (4) the Dean of the College of Forest Resources of the University of Washington (UW); (5) the Dean of the College of Agriculture of Washington State University (WSU); and (6) a representative of a county that contains state forest lands.
University Representatives on the Board. The entity formerly known as the WSU College of Agriculture is now the WSU College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resources Sciences. The Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resources Sciences currently serves on the board.
The entity formerly known as the UW College of Forest Resources is now a school within the UW College of the Environment. The Dean of the College of the Environment currently serves on the board. The School of Forest Resources is led by a Director.
County Representative on the Board. The county representative is selected by the legislative authorities of counties containing state forest lands through a process facilitated by the Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC).
Summary of Bill (Recommended Amendments): University Representatives on the Board. Modifies language identifying the university representatives on the board by providing that:
the WSU representative on the board is the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resources Sciences; and
the UW representative on the board is the Director of the School of Forest Resources.
Process for Selecting the County Representative on the Board. Provides that WSAC must convene the meeting at which the state forest land counties select their representative on the board, as opposed to current law which requires WSAC to conduct the meeting.
EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY NATURAL RESOURCES, OCEAN & RECREATION COMMITTEE (Recommended Amendments): The proposed committee striking amendment:
provides that the WSU representative on the board is the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resources Sciences;
provides that the UW representative on the board is the Director of the School of Forest Resources; and
generally restores the process existing under current statute for selecting the representative of state forest land counties on the board.
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.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Substitute House Bill: PRO: This statutory change would allow the Department to work with college presidents to determine who would be the best representatives from UW and WSU. This puts the discretion where it can be best used.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Craig Partridge, Department of Natural Resources.