H-3693.2  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2341

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2002 Regular Session

By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Eickmeyer, Grant, Schoesler, Doumit and Jackley)

Read first time 01/23/2002.  Referred to Committee on .

Attempting to control damage to crops caused by wildlife.

    AN ACT Relating to controlling game damage to crops; and adding a new section to chapter 77.36 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 77.36 RCW to read as follows:

    The department must maintain a list of qualified individuals, arranged by county of residence, who have indicated that they are available to hunt deer or elk that are causing damage to crops.  Individuals must meet all the qualifications established by the department in order to be placed upon the list.  The department must update the list at least once every three years.  The department must utilize this list when contacting persons to assist in controlling game damage to crops.  The department must make all reasonable efforts to use an individual who resides within the county where the hunting of deer or elk will occur before contacting a person who is not a resident of that county.  The department must rotate the names of people who it contacts on the list in order to provide a fair distribution of the hunting opportunity.

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