BILL REQ. #:  S-3360.3 

Read first time 01/12/2004.   Referred to Committee on Parks, Fish & Wildlife.

     AN ACT Relating to a pilot program for cougar control; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that cougars have become a serious threat to the safety of citizens and their property in many areas of the state since passage of an initiative prohibiting cougar hunting with dogs. Based on incidents that have been reported to local law enforcement, this threat appears to be most serious in Ferry, Okanogan, and Stevens counties.
     It is the intent of the legislature to establish a three-year pilot program administered by county government to allow for limited hound hunting during certain times of each year as a means to better control the cougar population.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The county commissioners of any three contiguous counties east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and sharing a border with another nation but not with another state may establish a three-year pilot program to control the cougar population in the participating counties. The pilot program's primary goal is to maintain cougar populations at a level that provides for the safety of the public.
     (2) Beginning September 2004, the pilot program allows for pursuit and release with hounds from September 1st to November 30th and for pursuit and take with hounds from December 1st to February 28th.
     (3) In order to carry out the pilot program, the department of fish and wildlife must provide the county commissioners with any data requested to design and implement the pilot program. The county commissioners must keep the fish and wildlife commission informed of the activities undertaken in furtherance of the pilot program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   Washington State University shall monitor any pilot program entered into under section 2 of this act and provide a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by July 1, 2007.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The sum of twenty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, from the general fund to Washington State University for the purposes of section 3 of this act.