READ FIRST TIME 02/24/09.   

     AN ACT Relating to creating the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program; adding new sections to chapter 77.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.32 RCW; creating new sections; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   It is the intent of the legislature to establish the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program to continue and, to the maximum extent possible, increase recreational selective fishing opportunities on the Columbia river and its tributaries.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     The department shall create and administer a Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program. The program must facilitate continued and, to the maximum extent possible, improved recreational salmon and steelhead selective fishing opportunities on the Columbia river and its tributaries by supplementing the resources available to the department to carry out the scientific monitoring and evaluation, data collection, permitting, reporting, enforcement, and other activities necessary to provide such opportunities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 77.32 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) In addition to a recreational license required under this chapter, a Columbia river salmon and steelhead stamp or endorsement is required in order for any person fifteen years of age or older to fish recreationally for salmon or steelhead in the Columbia river and its tributaries where these fisheries have been authorized by the department. The cost for each stamp or endorsement is seven dollars and fifty cents. The department shall deposit all receipts from stamp or endorsement purchases into the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program account created in section 4 of this act.
     (2) For the purposes of this section and sections 2 and 4 through 6 of this act, the term "Columbia river" means the Columbia river from a line across the Columbia river between Rocky Point in Washington and Tongue Point in Oregon to the Chief Joseph dam.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     The Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from Columbia river salmon and steelhead stamp or endorsement purchases under section 3 of this act and gifts made for purposes of the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for purposes of the program created in section 2 of this act. Only the director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall administer the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program in consultation with a Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board. The board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the department.
     (2) The department shall solicit recommendations for membership on the Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board from recognized recreational fishing organizations of the Columbia river, and the director or director's designee shall give deference to such recommendations when selecting board members. In making these selections, the director or director's designee shall seek to provide equitable representation from the various geographic areas of the Columbia river. The board must consist of no fewer than six and no more than ten members at any one time.
     (3) The Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board shall make annual recommendations to the department regarding program expenditures. To the maximum extent possible, the board and department shall seek to reach consensus regarding program activities and expenditures. The director or the director's designee shall provide the board with a written explanation when the department expends funds from the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program account created in section 4 of this act in a manner that differs substantially from board recommendations.
     (4) Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     By December 1, 2014, the department and the Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board shall review the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program, prepare a brief summary of the activities conducted under the program, and provide this summary and a recommendation whether the program should be continued to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   Sections 2 through 6 of this act expire June 30, 2016.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   By September 1, 2009, the department of fish and wildlife shall:
     (1) Establish and make publicly available a list of tributaries to the Columbia river where a Columbia river salmon and steelhead stamp or endorsement is required to fish recreationally for salmon or steelhead pursuant to section 3 of this act; and
     (2) Elect between issuing stamps or issuing endorsements pursuant to section 3 of this act. The department of fish and wildlife shall proceed using the option that it determines will result in the least administrative costs.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   Nothing in this act changes the allocation of salmon or steelhead fisheries in the Columbia river and its tributaries or the authorities or processes by which such allocations are determined.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   Section 2 of this act takes effect January 1, 2010.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   A Columbia river salmon and steelhead stamp or endorsement is not subject to the additional ten percent transaction fee on recreational licenses, permits, tags, stamps, or raffle tickets to be charged during the 2009-2011 biennium under chapter . . . (Substitute House Bill No. 1778), Laws of 2009 if it or a subsequent version thereof becomes law.