BILL REQ. #:  H-3172.1 

Prefiled 12/22/11. Read first time 01/09/12.   Referred to Committee on General Government Appropriations & Oversight.

     AN ACT Relating to the discover pass; and amending RCW 79A.80.020, 79A.80.030, 79A.80.040, and 77.32.050.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 79A.80.020 and 2011 c 320 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A discover pass is required for any motor vehicle to park or operate on any recreation site or lands, except for short-term parking as may be authorized under RCW 79A.80.070.
     (2) The final cost of the discover pass ((is)) to the purchaser must be thirty dollars ((per motor vehicle)). Every four years the office of financial management must review the cost of the discover pass and, if necessary, recommend to the legislature an adjustment to the cost of the discover pass to account for inflation.
     (3) The discover pass is valid for one year from the date of issuance.
     (4) The discover pass must be made available for purchase throughout the year through the department of fish and wildlife's automated licensing system consistent with RCW 77.32.050.
     (5) The discover pass must be made available for purchase through the department of licensing as provided in RCW 46.16A.090. The department of licensing, county auditor, or other agent or subagent appointed by the director, is not responsible for delivering a purchased discover pass to a motor vehicle owner. The agencies must deliver the purchased discover pass to a motor vehicle owner.
     (6) The state parks and recreation commission may make the discover pass available for purchase through its reservation system and other outlets authorized by law to sell licenses, permits, or passes.
     (7) The discover pass ((must contain space for the motor vehicle license plate number)) is transferable among motor vehicles registered at the same address.
     (8) A complimentary discover pass must be provided to a volunteer who performed twenty-four hours of service on agency-sanctioned volunteer projects in a year. The agency must provide vouchers to volunteers identifying the number of volunteer hours they have provided for each project. The vouchers may be brought to an agency to be redeemed for a discover pass.

Sec. 2   RCW 79A.80.030 and 2011 c 320 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person may purchase a day-use permit to meet the requirements of RCW 79A.80.080. The day-use permit ((is)) must be sold for a final price of ten dollars per day and must be available for purchase from each agency. The day-use permit is valid for one calendar day.
     (2) The agencies may provide short-term parking under RCW 79A.80.070 where the day-use permit is not required.
     (3) Every four years the office of financial management must review the cost of the day-use permit and, if necessary, recommend to the legislature an adjustment to the cost of the day-use permit to account for inflation.

Sec. 3   RCW 79A.80.040 and 2011 c 320 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The vehicle access pass is created solely for access to the department of fish and wildlife recreation sites or lands. The vehicle access pass is only available to a person who purchases a current valid: Big game hunting license issued under RCW 77.32.450; small game hunting license issued under RCW 77.32.460; western Washington pheasant permit issued under RCW 77.32.575; trapping license issued under RCW 77.65.450; watchable wildlife decal issued under RCW 77.32.560; or combination, saltwater, or freshwater personal use fishing license issued under RCW 77.32.470.
     (2) One vehicle access pass must be issued per purchase pursuant to subsection (1) of this section which may be used among motor vehicles registered at the same address.
     (3) The vehicle access pass is valid for the license year of the license it is purchased with.

Sec. 4   RCW 77.32.050 and 2011 c 339 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All recreational and commercial licenses, permits, tags, stamps, and raffle tickets shall be issued under the authority of the commission. The commission shall adopt rules for the issuance of licenses, permits, tags, stamps, and raffle tickets, and for the collection, payment, and handling of license fees, including terms and conditions to govern dealers, and dealer fees. A transaction fee on commercial and recreational documents issued through an automated licensing system may be set by the commission and collected from licensees. The department may authorize all or part of such fee to be paid directly to a contractor providing automated licensing system services. The department and dealers shall collect and retain dealer fees of at least two dollars for purchase of a standard hunting or fishing recreational license document or commercial license document, except that:
     (a) The commission may set a lower dealer fee for issuance of tags or when a licensee buys a license that involves a stamp or display card format rather than a standard department licensing document form; and
     (b) No dealer fees may be collected for the issuance of a discover pass or day-use permit, as those terms are defined in RCW 79A.80.010. Dealer fees must be uniform throughout the state.
     (2) Until September 1, 2011, the department shall charge an additional transaction fee of ten percent on all recreational licenses, permits, tags, stamps, or raffle tickets. These transaction fees must be deposited into the state wildlife account, created in RCW 77.12.170, for funding fishing and hunting opportunities for recreational license holders.
     (3) The application fee is waived for all commercial license documents that are issued through the automated licensing system.