Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee |
HB 1084
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Creating the board on geographic names.
Sponsors: Representatives McCoy and Hunt.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/17/11
Staff: Marsha Reilly (786-7135).
Background:
State Board on Geographic Names
In 1983, the State Board on Geographic Names (Board) was established. The purpose of the Board was to:
establish a procedure for the retention and formal recognition of existing geographical names;
standardize the procedures for naming or renaming geographical features within the state;
identify a responsible agency to coordinate geographic names among local, state, and federal agencies;
avoid duplication of names for similar features; and
retain the significance, spelling, and color of names associated with the early history of Washington.
Membership on the board included the state librarian, or a designee; the commissioner of public lands, or a designee; the chairperson of the Washington State Heritage Council; and four members of the general public appointed by the Commissioner of Public Lands.
Specifically, the Board was authorized to
establish the official names for the lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features within the state;
assign names to lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns, and other geographic features for which no single generally accepted name has been in use;
cooperate with other public entities to establish, change and/or determine appropriate names in order to avoid duplication of place names within the state;
serve as the state's liaison with the United States Board on Geographic Names; and
issue a list of names approved by the Board.
Board members who were not public employees were compensated by the Department of Natural Resources an amount of $50 for attending official meetings. plus travel expenses. Members of the Board who were public employees were compensated for travel expenses by the agency the person represented.
The Board was eliminated in 2010.
Board of Natural Resources
The Board of Natural Resources was established in 1986. The Board of Natural Resources was to perform duties relating to appraisal, appeal, approval, and hearing functions provided by law and to establish policies to ensure that acquisition, management, and disposition of lands and resources are based on sound principles designed to achieve the maximum effective development and use of such lands and resources. In addition, the Board on Natural Resources also constituted the Board of Appraisers and the Commission on Harbor Lines.
Membership includes the Governor, or a designee; the Superintendent of Public Instruction; the Commissioner of Public Lands; the director of the University of Washington School of Forest Resources; the dean of the Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resources Sciences; and a representative of those counties that contain state forest lands acquired or transferred pursuant to mineral interests.
Summary of Bill:
The Board on Geographic Names is re-established as a constituted board of the Board of Natural Resources. The duties of the Board on Geographic Names are the same as those authorized in 1983. Membership on the Board includes the members of the Board of Natural Resources plus the state librarian and the director of the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, or their designees.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.