Creating the orca protection act.

Establishes the orca protection act.

Requires the department of fish and wildlife to: (1) In order to facilitate the enforcement of RCW 77.15.740, provide extra protection to newborn calves, and protect critical feeding areas, conduct patrols during the twenty-two most active weeks for southern resident killer whale viewing activity each year and prioritize Wednesday through Monday patrols when the activity is most active;

(2) In the event that orca whales are not present, place emphasis on patrols that protect living marine resources in northern Puget Sound;

(3) Coordinate with appropriate federal, tribal, county, and nongovernmental partners to identify research and management actions undertaken that relate to impacts from human-generated marine noise; and

(4) Identify relevant research findings and management actions undertaken and identify options and recommendations on potential actions the state can take.

Includes as a natural resource infraction, when a person causes: (1) An aircraft to approach within two hundred yards of a southern resident orca whale; or

(2) A vessel to exceed a speed over ground of seven knots within four hundred yards of a southern resident orca whale.

Requires the Salish Sea institute at Western Washington University to: (1) Convene a meeting to improve the coordination of recovery strategies for southern resident killer whales between Washington and British Columbia; and

(2) Establish timelines for recovery actions.

Strengthening oil transportation safety.

Addresses oil transportation safety.

Finds that the department of ecology's oil spill program faces a critical funding gap due to the lack of adequate revenue to fully fund the prevention and preparedness services required by state law, including the 2015 oil transportation safety act.

Declares an intent to: (1) Provide adequate revenue to fully fund prevention and preparedness services required by state law;

(2) Direct the department of ecology to specifically address the risks of oils submerging and sinking; and

(3) More extensively coordinate with our Canadian partners in order to protect the state's economy and its shared resources.

Requires the department of ecology to: (1) Establish the Salish Sea shared waters forum to address common issues in the cross-boundary waterways between Washington state and British Columbia such as: Enhancing efforts to reduce oil spill risk, addressing navigational safety, and promoting data sharing; and

(2) In consultation with the Puget Sound partnership and the pilotage commission, complete a report of vessel traffic and vessel traffic safety within the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound area that includes the San Juan archipelago, its connected waterways, Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, Rosario Strait, and the waters south of Admiralty Inlet.

Issuing an identicard for offenders released from prison facilities.

Requires the department of corrections, working in conjunction with the department of licensing, to create and implement an identicard program to provide offenders, released within the state, with a state-issued identicard.

Requires the department of licensing to charge the department of corrections a fee sufficient to cover fifty percent of the costs of an identicard.

Authorizes the department of corrections and the department of licensing to: (1) Enter into a memorandum of understanding to meet the requirements of this act; and

Extending an expiration date that affects state fire service mobilization.

Increasing commercial fishing license fees for nonresidents.

Increases the fees for a nonresident to purchase a commercial fishing license.

Creating the Washington state resident medical education access act.

Establishes the Washington state resident medical education access act of 2018.

Requires at least ninety percent of the students admitted into the University of Washington medical education programs and the Washington State University medical education programs to be resident students.

Requires the total pool of admitted students, for purposes of calculating the percent of students admitted into the University of Washington medical education programs, to be calculated as the nonresident and resident students net the number of nonresident Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho students.

-- 2018 REGULAR SESSION --
Mar 3	First reading, referred to Higher Education & Workforce Development.

by Senator Baumgartner

Designating April 1st as Governor Jay Inslee Integrity Day.

Designates the first day of April as Governor Jay Inslee Integrity Day.

-- 2018 REGULAR SESSION --
Mar 5	First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections.