BILL REQ. #:  H-2070.1 

Read first time 02/19/09.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to protecting public safety by airport trapping; amending RCW 77.12.240; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that aircraft and wildlife strikes are the second leading cause of injury and deaths in the aviation industry. Therefore, it is necessary to authorize operators of public airports, operators of private airports open to the public, and the United States department of agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service-wildlife services to remove or kill wildlife, except threatened or endangered species, that are posing a threat to human health and safety.

Sec. 2   RCW 77.12.240 and 1989 c 197 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The director ((may)) shall authorize the removal or killing of wildlife that is destroying or injuring property, ((or)) when it is necessary for wildlife management or research, or when wildlife endangers human health and safety in airports open to the public.
     (2) Wildlife posing a threat to human health and safety may be taken or killed in any manner, including trapping with otherwise prohibited traps, on: (a) Property owned or controlled by an airport operator, without a permit or license issued by the department; or (b) in the immediate vicinity of an airport if such wildlife is posing a threat to aircraft taking off from or landing at a public airport by an airport operator or the United States department of agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service-wildlife services.
     (3) The director or other employees of the department shall dispose of wildlife taken or possessed by them under this title, except wildlife taken by airport operators or the United States department of agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service-wildlife services, in the manner determined by the director to be in the best interest of the state. Wildlife taken from public airports to protect human health and safety shall not be sold, traded, bartered, or exchanged in any manner, and shall be disposed of in a timely manner by the airport operator or the United States department of agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service-wildlife services. Proceeds from sales shall be deposited in the state treasury to be credited to the state wildlife ((fund)) account.