HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1028

As Amended by the Senate

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

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (10)

      Signed by Representatives R. King, Chair; Morris, Vice Chair; S. Wilson, Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Bowman, Brooks, Cole, Haugen, Smith and Spanel.

House Staff:Robert Butts (786-7841)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 13, 1989

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.  Currently, annual 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 also are available.

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

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

SUMMARY:

The age and residency requirements of fishing licenses issued by the Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife are generally made consistent, as are provisions for the issuance of free licenses to the blind, veterans, developmentally disabled, and the handicapped.

The age requirement for resident children needing fishing licenses is lowered from 15 years old (Department of Wildlife) and 16 years old (Department of Fisheries) to 12 years old, and free licenses are given to residents over 70.

Fees for the seven Department of Fisheries licenses are made consistent at $3 for residents, and $3 and $10 for non-residents. The only exceptions are Hood Canal shrimp licenses, which are $5 for residents and $15 for non-residents.

The taking and possession of smelt is exempted from the personal use license requirement.

The Department of Wildlife's steelhead punchcard requirements for children under 12 are changed.  The current $15 punchcard, which allows 30 steelhead to be caught, is replaced with a $5 punchcard that will allow five steelhead to be caught.

The definition of a "resident" is modified for Department of Wildlife licenses.  Citizen requirements are removed, and a person is defined as a resident after living in the state for 30 days instead of the current requirement of 90 days.

The Director of the Department of Fisheries is given the authority to set the fee charged by dealers when licenses are sold.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS:   The Senate striking amendment:  1) changes the hunting and fishing license exemption for children from under 12 years of age to under 16;  2) changes the hunting and fishing license exemption for senior citizens from 70 years of age and older to 65 and older;  3) modifies the Department of Fisheries' residency requirement for disabled veterans 65 and older, and allows all veterans who are 30 percent or more disabled to receive free Department of Wildlife fishing and hunting licenses;  4) lowers the cost of Hood Canal shrimp license fees; 5) removes the fees for salmon and personal use licenses for non-resident children; 6) lowers razor clam and personal use license fees for non-residents; 7) allows persons 65 and older to purchase a $5 steelhead punchcard;  8) increases the residency requirement for Wildlife licenses from 30 to 90 days; and 9) exempts albacore from personal use license requirements.

Revenue:    The bill has a revenue impact.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 17, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Ed Manary, Department of Fisheries; Phil Anderson, WA Charter Boat Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill will simplify recreational fishing license requirements, which will make it easier for the public to understand when a license is needed, and easier for license dealers when they sell fishing licenses.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 90; Nays 6; Absent 1; Excused 1

Voting Nay: Representatives Braddock, Prentice, Schmidt, Van Luven, Vekich and Zellinsky

Absent:     Representative Heavey

Excused:    Representative Belcher