BILL REQ. #:  S-0431.1 

Read first time 01/20/11.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to archaeological investigations on private land; amending RCW 27.53.030; and reenacting and amending RCW 27.53.070.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 27.53.030 and 2008 c 275 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Archaeology" means systematic, scientific study of man's past through material remains.
     (2) "Archaeological object" means an object that comprises the physical evidence of an indigenous and subsequent culture including material remains of past human life including monuments, symbols, tools, facilities, and technological by-products.
     (3) "Archaeological site" means a geographic locality in Washington, including but not limited to, submerged and submersible lands and the bed of the sea within the state's jurisdiction, that contains archaeological objects.
     (4) "Department" means the department of archaeology and historic preservation, created in chapter 43.334 RCW.
     (5) "Director" means the director of the department of archaeology and historic preservation, created in chapter 43.334 RCW.
     (6) "Historic" means peoples and cultures who are known through written documents in their own or other languages. As applied to underwater archaeological resources, the term historic shall include only those properties which are listed in or eligible for listing in the Washington State Register of Historic Places (RCW 27.34.220) or the National Register of Historic Places as defined in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Title 1, Sec. 101, Public Law 89-665; 80 Stat. 915; 16 U.S.C. Sec. 470) as now or hereafter amended.
     (7) "Prehistoric" means peoples and cultures who are unknown through contemporaneous written documents in any language.
     (8) "Professional archaeologist" means a person with qualifications meeting the federal secretary of the interior's standards for a professional archaeologist. Archaeologists not meeting this standard may be conditionally employed by working under the supervision of a professional archaeologist for a period of four years provided the employee is pursuing qualifications necessary to meet the federal secretary of the interior's standards for a professional archaeologist. During this four-year period, the professional archaeologist is responsible for all findings. The four-year period is not subject to renewal.
     (9) "Amateur society" means any organization composed primarily of persons who are not professional archaeologists, whose primary interest is in the archaeological resources of the state, and which has been certified in writing by two professional archaeologists.
     (10) "Historic archaeological resources" means those properties which are listed in or eligible for listing in the Washington State Register of Historic Places (RCW 27.34.220) or the National Register of Historic Places as defined in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Title 1, Sec. 101, Public Law 89-665; 80 Stat. 915; 16 U.S.C. Sec. 470) as now or hereafter amended.
     (11) "Field investigation" means an on-site inspection by a professional archaeologist or by an individual under the direct supervision of a professional archaeologist employing archaeological inspection techniques for both the surface and subsurface identification of archaeological resources and artifacts resulting in a professional archaeological report detailing the results of such inspection.

Sec. 2   RCW 27.53.070 and 2005 c 333 s 21 and 2005 c 274 s 243 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     It is the declared intention of the legislature that field investigations on privately owned lands should be ((discouraged except)) conducted by professional archaeologists in accordance with both the provisions and spirit of this chapter ((and)). Persons having knowledge of the location of archaeological sites or resources are encouraged to communicate such information to the department. Such information shall not constitute a public record which requires disclosure pursuant to the exception authorized in chapter 42.56 RCW to avoid site depredation.