AN ACT Relating to enhancing recreational opportunities for veterans with disabilities; and amending RCW 79A.80.020, 79A.80.080, and 77.32.480.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 79A.80.020 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 15 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a discover pass is required for any motor vehicle to:

(a) Park at any recreation site or lands; or

(b) Operate on any recreation site or lands.

(2) Except as provided in RCW 79A.80.110, the cost of a discover pass is thirty dollars. Every four years the office of financial management must review the cost of the discover pass and, if necessary, recommend to the legislature an adjustment to the cost of the discover pass to account for inflation.

(3) A discover pass is valid for one year beginning from the date that the discover pass is marked for activation. The activation date may differ from the purchase date pursuant to any policies developed by the agencies.

(4) Sales of discover passes must be consistent with RCW 79A.80.100.

(5) The discover pass must contain space for two motor vehicle license plate numbers. A discover pass is valid only for those vehicle license plate numbers written on the pass. However, the agencies may offer for sale a family discover pass that is fully transferable among vehicles and does not require the placement of a license plate number on the pass to be valid. The agencies must collectively set a price for the sale of a family discover pass that is no more than fifty dollars. A discover pass is valid only for use with one motor vehicle at any one time.

(6) One complimentary discover pass must be provided to a volunteer who performed twenty-four hours of service on agency-sanctioned volunteer projects in a year. The agency must provide vouchers to volunteers identifying the number of volunteer hours they have provided for each project. The vouchers may be brought to an agency to be redeemed for a discover pass.

Sec. 2.  RCW 79A.80.080 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 15 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A discover pass, vehicle access pass, or day-use permit must be visibly displayed in the front windshield, or otherwise in a prominent location for motor vehicles without a windshield, of any motor vehicle:

(a) Operating on any recreation site or lands; or

(b) Parking at any recreation site or lands.

(2) The discover pass, the vehicle access pass, or the day-use permit is not required:

(a) On private lands, state-owned aquatic lands other than water access areas, or at agency offices, hatcheries, or other facilities where public business is conducted;

(b) For persons who use, possess, or enter lands owned or managed by the agencies for nonrecreational purposes consistent with a written authorization from the agency, including but not limited to leases, contracts, and easements;

(c) On department of fish and wildlife lands only, for persons possessing a current vehicle access pass pursuant to RCW 79A.80.040; or

(d) When operating on a road managed by the department of natural resources or the department of fish and wildlife, including a forest or land management road, that is not blocked by a gate.

(3)(a) An agency may waive the requirements of this section for any person who has secured the ability to access specific recreational land through the provision of monetary consideration to the agency or for any person attending an event or function that required the provision of monetary compensation to the agency.

(b) Special events and group activities are core recreational activities and major public service opportunities within state parks. When waiving the requirements of this section for special events, the state parks and recreation commission must consider the direct and indirect costs and benefits to the state, local market rental rates, the public service functions of the event sponsor, and other public interest factors when setting appropriate fees for each event or activity.

(4) Failure to comply with subsection (1) of this section is a natural resource infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW. An agency is authorized to issue a notice of infraction to any person who fails to comply with subsection (1)(a) of this section or to any motor vehicle that fails to comply with subsection (1)(b) of this section.

(5) The penalty for failure to comply with the requirements of this section is ninety-nine dollars. This penalty must be reduced to fifty-nine dollars if an individual:

(a) Provides proof of purchase of a discover pass to the court within fifteen days after the issuance of the notice of violation; or

(b) Provides proof to the court within fifteen days after the issuance of the notice of violation that a complimentary discover pass was provided to him or her by an agency pursuant to RCW 79A.80.020(7).

Sec. 3.  RCW 77.32.480 and 2016 c 78 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Upon written application, a combination fishing license shall be issued at the reduced rate of five dollars and all hunting licenses shall be issued at the reduced rate of a youth hunting license fee for the following individuals:

(a) A resident sixty-five years old or older who is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States armed forces having a service-connected disability of less than one hundred percent;

(b) A resident who is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States armed forces with a ((thirty percent or more)) service-connected disability of at least thirty percent, but less than one hundred percent;

(c) A resident with a disability who permanently uses a wheelchair;

(d) A resident who is blind or visually impaired; and

(e) A resident with a developmental disability as defined in RCW 71A.10.020 with documentation of the disability certified by a physician licensed to practice in this state.

(2) Upon department verification of eligibility, a nonstate resident veteran with a disability who otherwise satisfies the criteria of subsection (1)(a) and (b) of this section, or who has a service-connected disability of one hundred percent, must be issued a combination fishing license or any hunting license at the same cost charged to a nondisabled Washington resident for the same license.

(3) Upon written application and department verification, the following recreational hunting licenses must be issued at no cost to a resident member of the state guard or national guard, as defined in RCW 38.04.010, as long as the state guard or national guard member is: An active full-time state guard or national guard employee; or a state guard or national guard member whose status requires the state guard or national guard member to participate in drill training on a part-time basis:

(a) A small game hunting license under RCW 77.32.460(1);

(b) A supplemental migratory bird permit under RCW 77.32.350; and

(c) A big game hunting license under RCW 77.32.450 (1) and (2).

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