HB 2552

Brief Description: Creating a joint legislative salmon committee.

Sponsors: Representatives Lekanoff, DeBolt, Blake, Mead, Ramel, Shewmake, Ramos, Peterson, Thai, Fey, Tharinger, Fitzgibbon, Rude, Tarleton, Leavitt, Davis and Doglio.

Hearing Date: 1/22/20

Staff: Rebecca Lewis (786-7339).

Background:

Salmon Recovery.

Several species of salmon are listed as either threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is responsible for the management of the state's fish and wildlife resources. Other state agencies are responsible for the management of various other elements that relate to salmon recovery, for example, water quality, land management, and fish passage barrier removal. Those agencies include the Department of Ecology, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Transportation.

The Governor's Salmon Recovery Office, located within the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), is responsible for coordinating the state strategy to allow for salmon recovery to healthy, sustainable population levels. That responsibility includes coordinating and assisting in the development, implementation, and revision of regional salmon recovery plans as part of the statewide strategy for salmon recovery. Within designated salmon recovery regions, lead entities develop habitat project lists, including habitat restoration projects, habitat protection projects, habitat projects that improve water quality, habitat projects that protect water quality, habitat-related mitigation projects, and habitat project maintenance and monitoring activities. With assistance from a citizen committee, the lead entities evaluate the suggested projects, prioritize them, define the sequence for project implementation, and submit this as the habitat project list to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board.

Agency Budget Request Process.

As part of preparing the Governor’s budget proposals, due in December of each year, agencies are required to submit budget requests to the Office of Financial Management (OFM).  The OFM then considers that information when developing the Governor’s budget proposals.  Agency budget requests are typically due to the OFM in September or October of each year.

Summary of Bill:

The Joint Legislative Salmon Committee (Committee) is created. The Committee is comprised of the Chairs and Ranking Minority Members of each committee in both the House of Representatives and the Senate with jurisdiction over salmon recovery issues, local government operations, and the operating, capital, and transportation budgets. Chairs may designate the respective committee Vice Chair, and Ranking Minority Members may designate the respective committee Assistant Ranking Minority Member to serve in his or her place.

The Committee is charged with developing and reviewing legislative actions related to salmon recovery and the effective coordination of statewide salmon recovery policy, and must invite participation from the departments of Fish and Wildlife, Natural Resources, Ecology, and Agriculture. Staffing for the Committee will come from the House Office of Program Research and Senate Committee Services. The Committee may contract with additional persons or organizations with specific scientific and technical expertise related to public policies that affect salmon.

During the first week of each legislative session, the Committee must meet to review introduced bills and budget items related to salmon policy. The Committee must report on its activities annually, one month after agency budget requests are submitted to the Office of Financial Management. The first report is due in 2020.

Appropriation: The sum of $75,000 each to the House of Representatives and Senate.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.