4410.E AMS NPS S-2523.2

4410.E AMS NPS S2523.2

EHCR 4410 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Shorelines

ADOPTED 04/12/01

Beginning on page 1, line 1, strike all material through "2002." on page 3, line 18, and insert the following:

"WHEREAS, Congress enacted the forest resources conservation and shortage relief act in 1990 to prevent the export of unprocessed logs from federal lands and the "substitution" of federal timber for private timber that is exported by a company that also buys timber from federal lands for domestic processing; and

WHEREAS, When congress enacted this legislation, it granted the state and its political subdivisions the authority to prohibit substitution of state timber for private timber that is exported; and

WHEREAS, In 1991, the state adopted chapter 240-15 WAC to implement the federal ban on the export of restricted unprocessed timber that prohibits firms that export unprocessed logs from bidding on state timber; and

WHEREAS, Some concerns have been raised that these rules may contribute to the lack of bidders on state and local government timber sales;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the state of Washington, the Senate concurring, That a joint select legislative task force, assisted by an advisory committee, be established to evaluate and make recommendations regarding the state exercise of authority under the forest resources conservation and shortage relief act, and to identify and evaluate factors that contribute to the amount of competition for state and local government timber sales; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select legislative task force be composed of eight members; four from the House of Representatives, two each from the major political caucuses, appointed by the Co-Speakers of the House of Representatives; and four from the Senate, two each from the major political caucuses, appointed by the President of the Senate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force gather information regarding changes in the forest products industry in Washington state since the rules were adopted; the current market for state and local timber; factors that contribute to the sale of, and competition for, state and local government timber, including but not limited to appraisal practices and the processes used by state and local governments for offering timber sales; and other factors that the task force considers appropriate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force may recommend which agency or official of state government should have the authority to review and amend the substitution of timber rules contained in chapter 240-15 WAC; any changes to such rules; changes to state and local government timber appraisal and bidding practices; and related legislation that the legislature should consider during the 2002 session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That an advisory committee be established to provide assistance upon request of the joint select legislative task force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the advisory committee shall be composed of the following members or their designees: The commissioner of public lands; the superintendent of public instruction; the president of Washington State University; the president of the University of Washington; a representative of a county, selected by the Washington state association of counties; the director of the office of financial management; the director of the department of revenue; a representative of companies that purchase timber sales under current rules from the department of natural resources, selected by representatives of those companies; a representative of companies that operate forest product manufacturing facilities in this state that are currently ineligible under current rules to purchase department of natural resources timber sales, selected by representatives of those companies; a forest products representative from a small business that purchases or processes wood products, chosen by representatives of small forest product businesses; and a representative of a labor union representing workers in forest product manufacturing facilities in this state under a collective bargaining agreement, chosen by the state labor council; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the advisory committee shall select a chair or cochairs from among its members for the purpose of conducting meetings and transmitting information from the advisory committee as a group to the joint select legislative task force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That in developing its recommendations, the joint select legislative task force shall consult with the advisory committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That staff support for the joint select legislative task force and the advisory committee shall be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate legislative committees by January 1, 2002."