HB 1418-S - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS PASSED LEGISLATURE)

     Revises RCW 79.64.020 to delete references to pooling of the resource management cost account.

     Declares that costs and expenses necessarily incurred in managing and administering agricultural college lands shall not be deducted from proceeds derived from the sale of agricultural college lands including the sale of resources that are part of those lands.  The department shall use funds provided under this act for the management and administration of agricultural college lands.

     Provides that no part of the gross proceeds from leases, sales, contracts, licenses, permits, easements, and rights of way on or relating to the agricultural college lands may be used to defray costs or expenses incurred in managing and administering the lands, and all such gross proceeds shall be made available to the beneficiary of the agricultural college lands.

     Directs the state of Washington to pay the department for administering and managing the agricultural college lands.  The state may choose the fund source to use to pay this cost, provided that the funds represent moneys from the treasury of the state.

VETO MESSAGE ON HB 1418-S

                   May 19, 1997

To the Honorable Speaker and Members,

  The House of Representatives of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am returning herewith, without my approval, Substitute House Bill No. 1418 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to eliminating the pooling of the resource management cost account and removing reference to agricultural college lands;"

     Substitute House Bill No. 1418 would bring state law into compliance with the federal Morrill Act by dedicating all of the revenue from the state agricultural college lands to this federally granted trust.  Currently, up to 25 percent of the revenue from these lands is deposited into the Resource Management Cost Account (RMCA) and are used by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to manage these lands.  Instead of using the RMCA, DNR would be directed to bill the state for its costs in managing these lands.  However, the final legislative budget did not provide any funding to pay for these costs.

     It is with great regret that I veto this legislation.  However, if this legislation were signed, DNR would not have any funding to carry out management of these trust lands.  Although I have vetoed this legislation I am committed to working with Washington State University, DNR, and the legislature to develop a long-term funding source for managing the agricultural college trust.

     For this reason, I have vetoed Substitute House Bill No. 1418 in its entirety.

                   Respectfully submitted,

                   Gary Locke

                   Governor