SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5683

               As Passed Senate, March 15, 1999

Title:  An act relating to funding Puget Sound salmon recovery.

Brief Description:  Creating the Puget Sound foundation to facilitate salmon recovery funding.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation (originally sponsored by Senators Jacobsen, Swecker, T. Sheldon, Oke, Fraser, Eide, Rossi and Winsley).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  2/11/99, 3/3/99 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 3/15/99, 48-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5683 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; T. Sheldon, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Morton, Oke, Rossi, Snyder, Spanel and Stevens.

Staff:  David Johnson (786-7754)

Background:  Salmon recovery efforts are under contemplation and underway by a number of private and governmental organizations.  It is believed that a nonprofit foundation would promote private and public investment, in a unified manner, to aid in salmon recovery.

Summary of Bill:  A nonprofit foundation is established to collect and distribute private money for the purposes of salmon habitat preservation and restoration in the Puget Sound area.  The foundation is governed by a board of 18 directors, four of whom are legislators.

The foundation may receive money from private sources.  Detailed criteria for the distribution of funds by the foundation are set out.

The foundation will consult with state agencies when inventorying habitat.

The foundation hosts an annual conference regarding salmon habitat.  Progress reports must be filed with the Governor every two years.

The law expires June 30, 2009, although the foundation continues to exist after expiration.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This would be an efficient and effective approach to salmon restoration.  The foundation could attract many private donations that a government agency could not.

Testimony Against:  The foundation shouldn=t be limited to Puget Sound; the foundation should be able to help salmon statewide.  The foundation should be specified as a community foundation and should make use of challenge grants.  The foundation will be duplicative in some ways.

Testified:  Diane Ellison, Columbia/Pacific RC&D (con); Steve Robinson, NW Indian Fisheries Commission; Don Stuart, Washington Association of Constricted Districts; Tom Cowan, PSAT.