Prefiled 01/02/24.Read first time 01/08/24.Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks.

AN ACT Relating to protecting livestock from wolf predation; amending RCW 77.15.120; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1)(a) The department of fish and wildlife must establish a three-year pilot program in order to evaluate the effectiveness of authorizing the taking of the first wolf that returns to a livestock predation site.

(b) Under the pilot program, an owner, the owner's immediate family member, the agent of an owner, or the owner's documented employee may monitor the site of a wolf predation of livestock and take the first wolf that returns to the site of the predation. Any wolf killed under the authority of this section must be reported to the department of fish and wildlife within 24 hours and the wolf carcass must be surrendered to the department of fish and wildlife.

(2) The department of fish and wildlife must report back to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2027, regarding the pilot program created in this section.

(1) A person is guilty of unlawful taking of endangered fish or wildlife in the second degree if:

(a) The person hunts for, fishes for, possesses, maliciously harasses, or kills fish or wildlife, or possesses or intentionally destroys the nests or eggs of fish or wildlife;

(c) The taking of the fish or wildlife or the destruction of the nests or eggs is not consistent with section 1 of this act or has not been authorized by rule of the commission, a permit issued by the department, or a permit issued pursuant to the federal endangered species act.

(2) A person is guilty of unlawful taking of endangered fish or wildlife in the first degree if ((the person has been)):

(a) ((Convicted))The person has been convicted under subsection (1) of this section or convicted of any crime under this title involving the taking, possessing, or malicious harassment of endangered fish or wildlife; and

(b) Within five years of the date of the prior conviction, the person commits the act described by subsection (1) of this section.

(3)(a) Unlawful taking of endangered fish or wildlife in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor.

(b) Unlawful taking of endangered fish or wildlife in the first degree is a class C felony. The department shall revoke any licenses or tags used in connection with the crime and order the person's privileges to hunt, fish, trap, or obtain licenses under this title to be suspended for two years.