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               ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2819

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Buck, Regala and Chandler; by request of Department of Fish and Wildlife)

Read first time 02/04/98.  Referred to Committee on .

Requiring display of a vehicle use permit while using department of fish and wildlife improved access facilities.

    AN ACT Relating to vehicle use on department of fish and wildlife lands; amending RCW 77.32.380; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 77.32.380 and 1993 sp.s. c 2 s 77 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Persons ((sixteen years of age or older)) who enter upon or use clearly identified department ((lands and)) improved access facilities with a motor vehicle are required to ((possess a conservation license or a hunting, fishing, trapping, or free license on their person while using the facilities)) display a current annual fish and wildlife lands vehicle use permit on the motor vehicle while within or while using an improved access facility.  An "improved access facility" is a clearly identified area specifically created for motor vehicle parking, and includes any boat launch or boat ramp associated with the parking area, but does not include the department parking facilities at the Gorge Concert Center near George, Washington.  The vehicle use permit is issued in the form of a decal.  One decal shall be issued at no charge with each annual saltwater, freshwater, combination, small game hunting, big game hunting, and trapping license issued by the department.  The annual fee for ((this license)) a fish and wildlife lands vehicle use permit, if purchased separately, is ten dollars ((annually)).  A person to whom the department has issued a decal or who has purchased a vehicle use permit separately may purchase a decal from the department for each additional vehicle owned by the person at a cost of five dollars per decal upon a showing of proof to the department that the person owns the additional vehicle or vehicles.  Revenue derived from the sale of fish and wildlife lands vehicle use permits shall be used solely for the stewardship and maintenance of department improved access facilities.

    ((The spouse, all children under eighteen years of age, and guests under eighteen years of age of the holder of a valid conservation license may use department lands and access facilities when accompanied by the license holder.))

    Youth groups may use department ((lands and game)) improved access facilities without possessing a ((conservation license)) vehicle use permit when accompanied by a ((license)) vehicle use permit holder.

    ((The conservation license is nontransferable and must be validated by the signature of the holder.  Upon request of a wildlife agent or ex officio wildlife agent a person using clearly identified department lands shall exhibit the required license.))

(2) The decal must be affixed in a permanent manner to the motor vehicle before entering upon or using the motor vehicle on a department improved access facility, and must be displayed on the rear window of the motor vehicle, or, if the motor vehicle does not have a rear window, on the rear of the motor vehicle.

(3) Failure to display the fish and wildlife lands vehicle use permit as required by this section is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW, and department employees are authorized to issue a notice of infraction to the registered owner of any motor vehicle entering upon or using a department improved access facility without such a decal.  The penalty for failure to display or improper display of the decal is sixty-six dollars.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act takes effect January 1, 1999.

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