AN ACT Relating to the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program; amending RCW 77.12.712, 77.12.714, 77.12.716, 77.12.718, and 77.32.580; repealing 2016 c 223 ss 7, 8, and 9, 2011 c 339 s 40, and 2009 c 420 s 7 (uncodified); providing expiration dates; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 77.12.712 and 2016 c 223 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall create and administer a Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program. The program must facilitate continued and, to the maximum extent possible, improved recreational salmon and steelhead selective fishing opportunities on the Columbia river and its tributaries by supplementing the resources available to the department to carry out the scientific monitoring and evaluation, data collection, permitting, reporting, enforcement, and other activities necessary to provide such opportunities. Program funding may not be used to acquire land or develop fishing access sites.

Sec. 2.  RCW 77.12.714 and 2016 c 223 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from Columbia river salmon and steelhead endorsement purchases under RCW 77.32.580 and gifts made for purposes of the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for purposes of the program created in RCW 77.12.712. Only the director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

Sec. 3.  RCW 77.12.716 and 2016 c 223 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall administer the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program in consultation with a Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board. The board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the department.

(2) The department shall solicit recommendations for membership on the Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board from recognized recreational fishing organizations of the Columbia river, and the director or director's designee shall give deference to such recommendations when selecting board members. In making these selections, the director or director's designee shall seek to provide equitable representation from the various geographic areas of the Columbia river. The board must consist of no fewer than six and no more than ten members at any one time.

(3) The Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board shall make annual recommendations to the department regarding program expenditures. To the maximum extent possible, the board and department shall seek to reach consensus regarding program activities and expenditures. The director or the director's designee shall provide the board with a written explanation when the department expends funds from the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program account created in RCW 77.12.714 in a manner that differs substantially from board recommendations.

(4) Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

Sec. 4.  RCW 77.12.718 and 2016 c 223 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall maintain updated information about Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program revenue and expenditures on its internet site. The information may include project summaries, analysis and figures similar to the 2014 report to the legislature on the program, and other information deemed appropriate by the department and the Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board.

(2) By December 1, 2014, the department and the Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board shall review the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program, prepare a brief summary of the activities conducted under the program, and provide this summary and a recommendation whether the program should be continued to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives.

Sec. 5.  RCW 77.32.580 and 2016 c 223 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In addition to a recreational license required under this chapter, a Columbia river salmon and steelhead endorsement is required in order for any person fifteen years of age or older to fish recreationally for salmon or steelhead in the Columbia river and its tributaries where these fisheries have been authorized by the department. The cost for each endorsement is seven dollars and fifty cents for residents and nonresidents and six dollars for youth and seniors. The department shall deposit all receipts from endorsement purchases into the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program account created in RCW 77.12.714.

(2) For the purposes of this section and RCW 77.12.712 and 77.12.714 through 77.12.718, the term "Columbia river" means the Columbia river from a line across the Columbia river between Rocky Point in Washington and Tongue Point in Oregon to the Chief Joseph dam.

(1) 2016 c 223 s 7 & 2009 c 420 s 7 (uncodified);

(2) 2016 c 223 s 8 & 2011 c 339 s 40 (uncodified); and

(3) 2016 c 223 s 9 (uncodified).

--- END ---