FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1028

PARTIAL VETO

                                  C 305 L 89

BYHouse Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife (originally sponsored by Representatives R. King, S. Wilson, Haugen, Spanel and Rasmussen; by request of Department of Fisheries)

Changing requirements for fishing licenses.

House Committe on Fisheries & Wildlife

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Over the years, the Legislature has imposed an assortment of license fees and punchcard requirements on the catch of food fish, game fish, and shellfish by recreational anglers.  Licenses or punchcards are required to catch food fish, game fish, steelhead, salmon, sturgeon, razor clams, and Hood Canal shrimp.  Two-day and three-day licenses are also available.

Exemptions from the recreational fishing license and punchcard requirements have been made for different groups, such as the blind, senior citizens, developmentally disabled, children, and disabled veterans.  When making the exemptions, no apparent effort was made to ensure that the exemptions were similar for the licenses and punchcards.  Also, the fees established for different recreational food fish licenses have varied.

The complexity and inconsistency of the different requirements have made the issuance of recreational fishing licenses difficult, and sometimes have made it difficult for the public to understand when a license is required.

SUMMARY:

The age and residency requirements for recreational fishing licenses and punchcards issued by the Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife are made consistent, as are provisions for the issuance of free licenses for children, senior citizens, disabled veterans over 65 years of age, developmentally disabled, handicapped, and the blind.

The age at which children are required to purchase fishing licenses issued by the Department of Fisheries is lowered from 16 to 15 to be consistent with the age requirement for Department of Wildlife licenses.

Fees for non-resident adults are raised from $9 to $10 for annual personal use fishing licenses.  In addition, the taking and possession of smelt and albacore is exempted from the personal use license requirement.  Fees for resident razor clam licenses are increased from $2.50 to $3.00.

Veterans who are residents and who have a service connected disability of 30 percent or greater shall receive Department of Wildlife fishing and hunting licenses for one-half price.

A $5 steelhead punchcard is created for persons under 15 years of age and persons 70 years of age and over.  The punchcard entitles the holder to 10 steelhead.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 90   6

      Senate    42     1 (Senate amended)

      House             (House refused to concur)

Free Conference Committee

      Senate    46     0

      House 97   0

EFFECTIVE:January 1, 1990

Partial Veto Summary:  The veto eliminated the provision that allowed veterans with a 30 percent or greater disability to purchase Department of Wildlife fishing and hunting licenses for one-half price.  Provisions also were vetoed that would have reduced the length of the residency requirement to 90 days for free Department of Wildlife licenses for disabled veterans who are over 65 years of age and for persons 70 years of age or older.

The newly created $5 steelhead punchcard for persons under 15 years of age and 70 years of age and older also was vetoed.  (See VETO MESSAGE)