SB 6149 - DIGEST

(SEE ALSO PROPOSED 1ST SUB)

Directs the departments of fish and wildlife, natural resources, and ecology to work cooperatively with the small scale mining community to support educational meetings and demonstrations to encourage mining activities.

Directs the departments to work with the small scale mining community to study and simplify or completely deregulate gold panning and shall report on this process to the 2005 legislature with legislative recommendations, if needed. The departments shall survey other states' regulation of gold panning as part of the study.

Provides that any person may engage in small scale prospecting and mining, as that term is defined in RCW 77.55.270, on aquatic lands where both the surface and mineral rights are owned by the state without that person first obtaining a permit, lease, license, or other form of permission from the department, and without being charged a rent or fee.