H-0230.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1900

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Mastin and G. Chandler

Read first time 02/10/1999.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.

Regarding applications for changing, transferring, or amending existing ground or surface water rights.

    AN ACT Relating to transfers and changes of water rights; and adding a new section to chapter 90.03 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 90.03 RCW to read as follows:

    Applications for changing, transferring, or amending existing ground or surface water rights shall not be treated in the same manner as applications for permits for new water rights.  The provisions of RCW 90.03.290 do not apply to applications for such changes, transfers, or amendments.  The requirements for such changes, transfers, and amendments are exclusively as specified in RCW 90.03.380, 90.03.390, and 90.44.100.  Any right represented by an application for a water right for which a permit for water use has not been issued by the time such a change, transfer, or amendment of an existing ground or surface water right is approved by the department may not be construed as being injured or detrimentally affected by the change, transfer, or amendment.  Processing applications for changes, transfers, and amendments of existing water rights shall not be delayed or postponed for the purpose of processing applications for new water right permits.

                            --- END ---