SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5439

BYSenate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Metcalf, Patterson and Stratton)

Designating department of natural resources as agency for surveys and maps and creating surveys and maps account in the general fund.

Senate Committee on Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 19, 1987; March 3, 1987

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5439 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Owen, Chairman; DeJarnatt, Vice Chairman; Barr, Craswell, McDonald, Metcalf, Patterson, Stratton.

Senate Staff:Vic Moon (786-7469)

                  April 17, 1987

AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 13, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The Surveys and Maps program of the Department of Natural Resources is funded from the proceeds of survey record sales and from filing fees received by counties for recording survey maps.  These revenues are placed in a separate surveys and maps account which also includes fees from sales under the Department's Photo and Map program.  Revenue from survey records sales and the county collected fee of $15 per record do not fully support the Surveys and Maps program, and additional support is needed to maintain the current level of the program.

The state base mapping program was established in 1973 and at that time, the Department was designated as the central agency for state surveys and state mapping, although other departments also conduct some survey and mapping activities related to specific agency requirements.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Natural Resources rather than the Division of Engineering Services of the Department is designated as the agency responsible for surveys and maps.  The Department shall supervise the distribution and sale of maps, map data, photographs and publications which the Department may have.  The existing recording fee of $15 which is collected by each county is eliminated and the fee will be set by the Board of Natural Resources.  The provision that ten percent of the fee is credited to the county and 90 percent is credited to the surveys and maps account of the general fund is eliminated.  Funds set by the Board will be placed in the survey and maps account and will be used for all survey and map programs.

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Pat McElroy, Department of Natural Resources; Don Semrau, Survey Advisory Board; Bill Thompson, Land Surveyors Association of Washington

HOUSE AMENDMENT:

The House amendment allows the sale or exchange at fair market value of Department of Natural Resources lands adjacent to Northern State Hospital.  The county may use the lands for a regional destination tourist attraction in addition to the existing allowed use as a county fairground.  If the property is sold to the county, the proceeds go into the park land trust revolving fund which DNR uses to purchase land to maintain the common school trust land base and to pay for DNR management costs for such exchanges and sales.  A title amendment adds RCW 36.37.160 to the title.