HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1498
As Reported by House Committee On:
Natural Resources
Title: An act relating to photo identification required for hunting and fishing licenses.
Brief Description: Requiring holders of fish and wildlife licenses purchased over the internet or telephone to provide enforcement officers with photo identification.
Sponsors: Representatives Jackley (co-prime sponsor) and Pearson (co-prime sponsor).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Natural Resources: 2/5/01, 2/21/01 [DPS].
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Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
$Allows Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers to require a person age 18 or older that is hunting or fishing to exhibit photo identification if the person purchased their hunting or fishing license over the internet or telephone.
$Allows Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers to require a person hunting to provide a signature for comparison to the signature on their license.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 10 members: Representatives Doumit, Democratic Co‑Chair; Sump, Republican Co‑Chair; Pearson, Republican Vice Chair; Rockefeller, Democratic Vice Chair; Buck, Eickmeyer, Ericksen, Jackley, Murray and Pennington.
Staff: Jason Callahan (786‑7117).
Background:
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is authorized by the state to issue licenses for various activities involving fish and wildlife. A WDFW license is required to hunt for wild animals, birds, fish or harvest shellfish or seaweed. A non-transferable recreational license may currently be purchased through one of WDFW=s many authorized dealers throughout the state. The authorized dealer collects the license fee, verifies identification, and provides the paper license to the customer. Beginning in May of this year, the WDFW plans to offer licenses for sale over the internet and telephone. Customers purchasing their license in this way are not required to provide photo identification at the time of purchase.
Enforcement officers employed by the WDFW are authorized to temporarily stop a person who is engaged in hunting or fishing activities in order to check for valid licenses, tags, permits, stamps, or catch records. If the person is detained while in the process of fishing or harvesting shellfish or seaweed, the officer may require the person to provide a signature for comparison with the signature on the license. The enforcement officers have no authority to ask for photo identification.
Summary of Substitute Bill:
A person engaged in hunting or fishing may be required to exhibit photo identification to a WDFW enforcement officer if the person purchased their hunting or fishing license over the internet or telephone and the person is 18 years of age or older. The enforcement officer may also require a person hunting to provide a signature for comparison to the signature on their license.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:
The original bill requires all persons purchasing their hunting or fishing license over the internet or telephone to show photo identification upon request of a WDFW officer. The substitute bill limits that requirement to those hunters and fishers age 18 or older.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not Requested.
Effective Date of Substitute Bill: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: This authority is needed if hunting and fishing licences are going to be sold over the internet and telephone. The authority ensures that a person can be identified in the field thus decreasing the possibility of a fraudulent license being used. This bill also benefits other governmental agencies, such as the state patrol and forest service, who routinely come in contact with WDFW license holders. The hunter or fisher can show a driver=s license, a school identification, or other state-issued identification. The bill gives WDFW enforcement officers similar authority as other enforcement agency officers. The bill discourages identification theft.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: (In Support) Representative Jackley and Representative Pearson, co-sponsors; and Bruce Crawford, Jim Lux and Bruce Bjork, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife