HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 1346

BYRepresentatives Meyers, Sutherland, S. Wilson, Belcher, R. King, Amondson, Cantwell, P. King, Grimm, Holland, Lewis, J. Williams, Sanders, Zellinsky, Smith, Cooper and K. Wilson 

Providing reduced rental fees for lease of communication sites on state lands.

House Committe on Natural Resources

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (16)

      Signed by Representatives Sutherland, Chair; K. Wilson, Vice Chair; Amondson, Basich, Beck, Belcher, Butterfield, Cole, Dorn, Fuhrman, Haugen, Meyers, Sayan, Schmidt, Spanel and S. Wilson.

House Staff:Bill Koss (786-7129)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 9, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Amateur radio operators lease space for their equipment on ten sites managed by the Department of Natural Resources.  Fees for the use of the sites for commercial users range from $733 to $1,014 per year; for amateur radio operators, the fees run from $227 to $314 per year.  These reduced fees available to amateur operators only apply if space is available in the Department of Natural Resources' facility.

Amateur radio operators provide services for search and rescue operations, forest fire information, and disaster relief support. Washington has approximately 12,600 amateur radio operators.  This number is increasing at about two and one-half percent per year. Washington ranks tenth in the United States in the number of amateur radio operators.

Many amateur radio operators feel that the existing fees are too high and have additional concerns that higher fees may be assessed in the future.  The annual rental cost prohibits some operators and operator clubs from using facilities which would benefit the state by their support for search and rescue operations in addition to law enforcement.  Lower fees would improve the amateurs' ability to build additional repeaters, facilitating emergency communication.

SUMMARY:

The Legislature finds that the amateur radio operators of the state provide valuable services.  In recognition of the emergency services provided, the lease rate charged by the Department of Natural Resources to amateur radio operators will be reduced from the rate charged to commercial electronic site users and the rate currently charged for amateur radio leases.

For each amateur radio electronic lease available for public service communication, the Department will determine the market lease rate.  For repeater units placed on the site by amateur radio operators, the Department will charge as follows:  for the first unit, fifty percent of the market rate established for amateur radio lessees; for subsequent repeater units placed at the same facility by an amateur radio lessee, the rate shall be twenty-five percent of the market rent for amateur lessees, as determined by the Department.

The radio frequencies will be allocated to amateur users by the Federal Communication Commission, an approved amateur radio regulatory body.  The Department will develop guidelines to determine which amateur radio groups will be eligible to receive the reduced lease rate.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):  Adds a $2,800 appropriation from the General Fund.  The appropriation will be used to pay that portion of the rent not paid by the lessees for electronic repeaters operated by amateur radio operators.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Pat McElroy, Department of Natural Resources; Russ Kroeker, Boeing Radio Club; and Brad Wells, WA Section Manager for the American Relay League.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Amateur radio operators cannot afford the steady increases in lease rates charged by the Department of Natural Resources.  The method proposed in the bill allows DNR to receive the compensation necessary to meet the trust needs and still allow amateurs affordable lease space.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 97; Excused 1

Excused:    Representative Taylor