Legislative Update

[Salmonhawk]

Here is a copy of a CCA email updating the goings on this legislative session.

Operating Budget / Revenue Forecast

The House released their version of the 2011-2013 Operating Budget on
Monday. The Budget released by the House assumes the WDFW License Fee
increases in HB 1387. The budget proposal does not assume the passage
of HB 1850, the proposed merger bill. That is good news for CCA
members!

The other good news was that WDFW did not take any deeper cuts as a
result of the lower March revenue Forecast, which came in almost $800
million less than expected. Many agencies took additional deep cuts as
a result of that bad news. Fortunately, WDFW was not one of them.

The Senate will release their version of the 2011-2013 Budget next week.
They might assume deeper cuts to WDFW. They could also assume passage
of a WDFW/Parks merger. We will review and report on that budget later
next week.

SSB 5669 / HB 1850 WDFW Merger

Both of these bills remain alive since they may be considered necessary
to implement the budget. However, the House budget that was released on
Monday made no mention of a merger. If anything is going to happen on
this issue, it will start in the Senate. SB 5669 has seen no action
since it was sent to the Senate Ways and Means upon passage by the
Senate Natural Resources Committee. The Senate Budget will bring more
clarity to this issue when we see it next week.

Derelict Gear Legislation Amended to SB 5201

CCA Washington worked with members of the House General Government and
Appropriations Committee to essentially amend the mandatory derelict
fishing gear legislation (SB 5661/HB 1717) on another moving bill, SB
5201. SB 5201 is now the vehicle for the derelict gear legislation,
which would require that lost or abandoned fishing gear ("ghost nets")
be reported within 48 hours. Current state law merely "encourages" this
reporting and has not worked!

You will recall that HB 1717 died in Committee when it failed to get a
hearing and SB 5661 passed two Senate Committees, but failed to clear
the Senate floor before a cut off deadline. SB 5201 is a WDFW request
bill that proved to be a good fit for this important legislation. SB
5201 is now in Senate Rules has been hung up by some unwelcome politics.
We are doing everything that we can to spring this bill out of Rules and
get it to the House Floor for a vote!

HB 1698 Puget Sound Recreational Fishing Enhancement

HB 1698 is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. This bill would
reform the existing Puget Sound Recreational Salmon and Marine
Enhancement Fund (PSRFEF) program to improve recreational salmon and
bottom fishing opportunities in Puget Sound. The bill is supported by
the Department, CCA and PSA. This bill has until April 12th at 5:00 PM
to pass out of the Senate. CCA's lobbyist is actively calling on Senate
Rules Committee members urging them to move this bill to the floor.

SB 5385 / HB 1387 License Fee Increases

Both of these bills are in the Senate and House Ways and Means
Committees. These bills increase license fees for both recreational
hunters and anglers. Two years ago, the legislature increased license
fees by 10%. That increase expires at the end of this fiscal year and
is replaced with a variety of license specific increases. These
increased license fees on hunters and anglers are also being sought to
make up for deep cuts in funding for WDFW from the state general fund.

CCA worked closely with PSA to amend the House Bill to direct $1.00 of
the proposed Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement fee increase to the
removal of derelict crab pots, which are having a significant impact on
the crab resource.

Since these license fee increases were assumed in the House budget it
appears likely that they will be adopted by the Legislature.

SB 5622 / HB 1796 - Washington "Discover Pass"

These bills create an access pass for lands managed by Parks, DNR and
WDFW. Under these proposals, users would have to obtain a vehicle
permit in order to park or enter into any of these lands. The
legislation was primarily developed to generate a revenue stream to fund
the continued operation of the State Parks, which may lose all state
general fund support.

The new fee amount that has been proposed is $30.00 for an annual pass
or $10.00 for a daily pass. Under the original Senate bill, hunters and
anglers who wish to access WDFW lands would also be required to pay
$7.00 for an annual pass or purchase the $30.00 pass to access all the
lands. Currently, hunters and anglers receive access to WDFW lands and
boat launches as part of their license fees (which are proposed to
increase). CCA has raised significant concerns about this proposed
charge to access WDFW lands, which amounted to double taxation for
hunters and anglers.

CCA has been working closely with other stakeholder groups on an
amendment to SB 5622. Under our amendment, recreational fishing and
hunting license buyers would not be required to purchase the Discover
Pass in order to access lands managed by WDFW as well as certain DNR
lands. We have the votes for our amendment and expect that is will pass
when the bill comes up for a vote in the Senate Ways and Means Committee
later this week. Those who wish to visit State Parks would be required
to purchase the annual or daily pass.

Capital and Operating Budgets

The House rolled out their version of the 2011-2013 Capital Budget on
Tuesday. The Capital Budget provides funding for the construction and
repair of public buildings and infrastructure. CCA has been working
closely with the Capital Budget Committee Chair, Rep. Hans Dunshee, to
secure funding for critical hatchery improvements. Under the House
Capital budget, funding is provided for both the Soos Creek (Green
River) and Voight's Creek (Puyallup River) hatcheries. We are also
working with Rep. Dunshee and other legislators on securing funding for
Sunset Falls on the Skykomish River system. This is an important
contributor to recreational fisheries and salmon conservation.

Cutoff

Tuesday, April 12th at 5:00 PM is the deadline for bills to pass out of
the House and Senate unless they are necessary to implement the budget.
SB 5201 and HB 1698 are subject to cutoff. If these bills do not pass
by next Tuesday, they will be considered dead.

Stay tuned for more information and as these bills start to move, be
prepared to respond to our next Action Alert.