HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6301

As Reported by House Committee On:

Natural Resources

Title:  An act relating to group fishing permits.

Brief Description:  Allowing the issuance of a group fishing permit to a facility.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Shorelines (originally sponsored by Senators Oke, Jacobsen, Spanel, Snyder, Hargrove and Rasmussen; by request of Department of Fish and Wildlife).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Natural Resources:  2/20/02, 2/26/02 [DPA].

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

(As Amended by House Committee)

$Authorizes the director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue a group fishing license to a medical care facility.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Doumit, Chair; Rockefeller, Vice Chair; Sump, Ranking Minority Member; Buck, Eickmeyer, Ericksen, Jackley, McDermott, Orcutt, Pearson and Upthegrove.

Staff:  Jason Callahan (786‑7117).

Background:

A license issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (department) is required to hunt for most wild animals and fish and to harvest seaweed and shellfish.  Licenses are also necessary in order to practice taxidermy for a profit, deal in raw furs, act as a fishing guide, operate a game farm, purchase or sell game fish, or use department‑managed facilities.

Physically or mentally disabled persons, mentally ill persons, hospital patients, and senior citizens who are in the care of a state‑operated facility are allowed to fish and harvest shellfish during an open season without obtaining an individual license or paying the individual license fee if the facility they are associated with has a group permit.  To qualify for the group permit, the fishing must be occasional and be supervised by staff of a care facility.

Summary of Amended Bill:

The director of the department is permitted to issue a group fishing permit on a seasonal basis to any licensed, state‑operated, or non‑profit facility that serves physically or mentally disabled persons, mentally ill persons, persons who are dependent on the state because of emotional or physical developmental disabilities, hospital patients, seriously or terminally ill persons, or senior citizens.  Individuals covered by the facility's permit may fish and harvest shellfish without individual licenses or the payment of individual license fees.  There are no requirements that the fishing be occasional or supervised.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission is directed to adopt rules that provide for the conditions under which a group fishing permit may be issued.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:

The substitute bill:  (1) required fishing to be occasional, (2) did not allow for the issuance of a seasonal license, and (3) did not allow a license to be issued to a facility that cared for mentally or physically developmentally disabled persons.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill addresses beneficial changes in the group license program, and the amendments made by the Senate tighten the package to protect the resource.  

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Oke, prime sponsor; and Josh Weiss, Department of Fish and Wildlife.