BILL REQ. #:  H-0021.1 

Read first time 01/11/2007.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to increasing the amount of money available to the department of fish and wildlife to pay claims under RCW 77.36.040 without requiring the legislature to declare an emergency; and amending RCW 77.36.070 and 77.36.080.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 77.36.070 and 1996 c 54 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     The department may pay no more than one hundred ((twenty)) fifty thousand dollars per fiscal year from the state wildlife ((fund)) account created in RCW 77.12.170 for claims under RCW 77.36.040 and for assessment costs and compromise of claims. Such money shall be used to pay animal damage claims only if the claim meets the conditions of RCW 77.36.040 and the damage occurred in a place where the opportunity to hunt was not restricted or prohibited by a county, municipality, or other public entity during the season prior to the occurrence of the damage.

Sec. 2   RCW 77.36.080 and 1996 c 54 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department may pay no more than ((thirty)) one hundred fifty thousand dollars per fiscal year from the general fund for claims under RCW 77.36.040 and for assessment costs and compromise of claims unless the legislature declares an emergency. Such money shall be used to pay animal damage claims only if the claim meets the conditions of RCW 77.36.040 and the damage occurred in a place where the opportunity to hunt was restricted or prohibited by a county, municipality, or other public entity during the season prior to the occurrence of the damage.
     (2) The legislature may declare an emergency, defined for the purposes of this section as any happening arising from weather, other natural conditions, or fire that causes unusually great damage to commercially raised agricultural or horticultural crops by deer or elk. In an emergency, the department may pay as much as may be subsequently appropriated, in addition to the funds authorized under subsection (1) of this section, for claims under RCW 77.36.040 and for assessment and compromise of claims. Such money shall be used to pay animal damage claims only if the claim meets the conditions of RCW 77.36.040 and the department has expended all funds authorized under RCW 77.36.070 or subsection (1) of this section.