BILL REQ. #:  H-4327.1 

Read first time 01/17/08.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to studying the state's specialized forest products; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1)(a) A legislative task force on specialized forest products is established, with members as provided in this subsection.
     (i) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives having served on the house of representatives agriculture and natural resources committee during the 2008 session.
     (ii) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate having served on the senate natural resources, ocean and recreation committee during the 2008 session.
     (iii) The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall jointly appoint at least seven members representing county sheriffs, county prosecutors, industrial and small forest landowners, tribes, recreational and professional wood carvers, cedar and specialty wood processors, and other appropriate interests. If possible, individual appointees should be consistent with the membership that served on the specialized forest products work group created in section 2, chapter 392, Laws of 2007.
     (iv) In addition, the department of natural resources shall cooperate with the task force and maintain a liaison representative who shall serve as a member. The department shall also cooperate with the task force and provide information as the chair of the task force may reasonably request.
     (b) The task force shall choose its chair from among its legislative membership. The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall jointly select one legislative member to convene the initial meeting of the task force.
     (2) The task force shall review the current specialized forest products statute, chapter 76.48 RCW, as well as applicable theft laws to ensure that the specialized forest products requirements:
     (a) Provide reasonable tools for law enforcement and reasonably protect landowners from theft;
     (b) Are not unduly burdensome to harvesters, those possessing or transporting specialized forest products, or cedar or specialty wood processors or buyers;
     (c) Are clear and may be readily understood by law enforcement and the public; and
     (d) Are administered and enforced consistently throughout the state.
     (3) Staff support for the task force shall be provided by the house office of program research and senate committee services.
     (4) Legislative members of the task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (5) The expenses of the task force shall be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house executive rules committee, or their successor committees.
     (6) The task force shall report its findings and recommendations in the form of proposed legislation to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2008.
     (7) This section expires July 31, 2009.