S-2459               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5911

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Amondson, Stratton, Hayner, Owen, McDonald, Newhouse, Anderson, Matson, Johnson, Smith, Lee, Bailey, Cantu, Thorsness, Patterson, Benitz, Nelson, Saling, Sellar, Craswell, Barr, McCaslin, Conner, Rasmussen, DeJarnatt and Bauer)

Read first time 3/3/89.

AN ACT Relating to public lands; adding a new section to chapter 79.01 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that:

          (1) Governmental decisions restricting use of this state's natural resources directly impact the economy of the state of Washington and the well-being of its citizens;

          (2) It is the state's obligation to manage its land in the best interest of the people of the state of Washington;

          (3) Decisions restricting this state's timber harvest cause economic hardship to families dependent on timber industries and reduce funding available for common school construction.  Therefore, it is Washington's families, and especially its children, who bear the burden of timber harvest reductions; for it is they who suffer most from lack of adequate school facilities and from the alcoholism, child abuse, and breakup of family units caused by economic hardship; and

          (4) Several million acres of Washington forest have already been set aside for preservation in their natural state and no timber harvest will ever occur thereon.  To further set aside additional acreage based on the conclusion that additional lands are necessary to maintain a habitat for a particular species, without clear and convincing evidence that such species is endangered or vanishing, is not in the best interest of the people of the state of Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 79.01 RCW to read as follows:

          To enhance funding available for construction of educational facilities, all timber that was not harvested from state public lands currently designated, studied, or planned as spotted owl habitat shall be made available for sale within guidelines that do not conflict with the economic interests of the granted trust.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.