S-4111               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6659

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Metcalf, Rasmussen, Benitz, Moore, Barr, Amondson, Bailey and Anderson

Read first time 1/19/90 and referred to Committee on  Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to the election of the members of the wildlife commission; amending RCW 77.04.040; adding new sections to chapter 77.04 RCW; repealing RCW 77.04.030; and providing for submission of this act to a vote of the people.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 77.04 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The state wildlife commission consists of six registered voters of the state who are elected for four-year terms.  The voters of each wildlife commission region, established under section 2 of this act, shall elect one nonpartisan commissioner in the 1991 general election.  In the 1992 general election, each commission position for the even-number regions shall be on the ballot.  In the 1994 general election, each commission position for the odd-numbered regions shall be on the ballot.

          (2) The legal office of the commission is at the administrative office of the department in Olympia.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 77.04 RCW to read as follows:

          For the purpose of electing members to the wildlife commission, the counties are divided into the following wildlife commission regions:

          (1) Region 1 includes Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties;

          (2) Region 2 includes Adams, Franklin, Grant, Okanogan, and Douglas counties;

          (3) Region 3 includes Kittitas, Yakima, Benton, Klickitat, and Chelan counties;

          (4) Region 4 includes Island, King, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties;

          (5) Region 5 includes Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pierce, Skamania, and Thurston counties; and

          (6) Region 6 includes Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason,  Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties.

        Sec. 3.  Section 77.04.040, chapter 36, Laws of 1955 as last amended by section 6, chapter 506, Laws of 1987 and RCW 77.04.040 are each amended to read as follows:

          Persons eligible for appointment as members of the commission shall ((have general knowledge of the habits and distribution of wildlife and shall)) not hold another state, county, or municipal elective or appointive office((.  In making these appointments, the governor shall seek to maintain a balance reflecting all aspects of wildlife)) , except precinct committee persons or freeholders.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  Section 77.04.030, chapter 36, Laws of 1955, section 4, chapter 78, Laws of 1980, section 11, chapter 338, Laws of 1981, section 5, chapter 506, Laws of 1987 and RCW 77.04.030 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     This act shall be submitted to the people for their adoption and ratification, or rejection, at the next succeeding general election to be held in this state, in accordance with Article II, section 1 of the state Constitution, as amended, and the laws adopted to facilitate the operation thereof.