SENATE BILL REPORT
SCR 8402
As of January 20, 2023
Brief Description: Renaming the Natural Resources Building as the Jennifer Belcher Building.
Sponsors: Senators Hunt, Wellman, Kuderer, Rolfes, Keiser, Conway, Hasegawa, Randall and Wilson, C..
Brief History:
Committee Activity: State Government & Elections: 1/20/23.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Renames the Department of Natural Resources Building the Jennifer Belcher Building.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT & ELECTIONS
Staff: Danielle Creech (786-7412)
Background:

The Department of Natural Resources Building is a 387,558 square-foot, welded-steel-frame structure located at 111 Washington Street SE, constructed in 1992. The building houses the Department of Agriculture, Department of Fish & Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources, Puget Sound Partnership, and Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. 

 

Jennifer Belcher was the first woman to be elected Washington State's Commissioner of Public Lands. As commissioner, she attained a 50-year habitat conservation plan for management of state forestlands. From 1983 to 1992, Jennifer Belcher served as Washington's 22nd Legislative District Representative in the House, spending her entire tenure as a member of the Natural Resources Committee, and serving as Chair to the committee from 1985 to 1986.  
Summary of Bill:

The Department of Natural Resources Building is renamed the Jennifer Belcher Building. 
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

PRO: Jennifer Belcher was consistently a highly respected and transformational leader in the state with her visionary, effective, and tireless work. She was very interested in the future of natural resources in the state. She was a role model for future generations. There is only one building on or near the capitol campus that is named after a woman, and we would encourage expanding that. She was an excellent mentor who opened up opportunities for others. She spent her life in service to the state.

 

OTHER: Signed in as "other," not in opposition to the name change, but rather to ensure awareness for statutory requirements for renaming buildings on the Capitol campus. State law requires renaming of these buildings to be vetted by the Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee (CCDAC), the State Capitol Committee (SCC), and the director of the Department of Enterprise Services (DES). CCDAC has already included SCR8402 as an agenda item for the next CCDAC meeting on Feb. 16, 2023.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Christine Mahler, Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition; Karen Fraser, self; Cynthia Stewart, League of Women Voters of WA; Lonnie Johns-Brown; Miguel Perez Gibson, Washington Conservation Action; Kelsey Hulse.
OTHER: Christopher Ferguson, Department of Enterprise Services.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.