SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6790

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Ways & Means, February 12, 2002

Title:  An act relating to authorizing the increase of personal use shellfish license fees to fund biotoxin testing and monitoring by the department of health of beaches used for recreational shellfishing.

Brief Description:  Increasing personal use shellfish license fees.

Sponsors:  Senators Spanel and Gardner.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Ways & Means:  2/11/02, 2/12/02 [DPS, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6790 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Brown, Chair; Regala, Vice Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Fraser, Kline, Kohl‑Welles, Poulsen, Rasmussen, B. Sheldon, Spanel and Thibaudeau.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

Signed by Senators Hewitt and Honeyford.

Staff:  Richard Ramsey (786‑7412)

Background:  To ensure the health of consumers, the Department of Health's (DOH) Environmental Health Program conducts testing and monitoring for biotoxins of shellfish from both commercial beds and beaches used by recreational shellfishers.  The funding source for this program is the state general fund.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  A $2 surcharge is imposed on adult resident and nonresident shellfish and combination fishing licenses to fund the Department of Health's shellfish testing and monitoring program.  Amounts exceeding the Department of Health's annual costs are transferred to the general fund.  An emergency is declared and the bill takes effect immediately.  The fee increase takes effect in the license year beginning April 1, 2002.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The provisions in the original bill allowing the Department of Health to establish a surcharge on licenses sold by the Department of Fish and Wildlife are deleted and the surcharge is set at $2 for specific shellfish and combination fishing licenses.  The substitute bill makes the surcharge effective in the license year beginning April 1, 2002; the original bill's effect was in the 2003 license year.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 5, 2002.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  The Department of Health should not have authority to set a surcharge on a license that the Fish and Wildlife Commission does not have authority to set.  The surcharge should be set in statute.

Testified:  Jim Lux, Department of Fish and Wildlife (con).