Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
                               HOUSE BILL 1226
                           Chapter 77, Laws of 2024
                               68th Legislature
                             2024 Regular Session
         RECREATIONAL LICENSING—SMELT, CRAWFISH, AND CARP
                      EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 2024
Passed by the House March 4, 2024                    CERTIFICATE
  Yeas 56 Nays 41
                                       I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the
                                       House of Representatives of the
            LAURIE JINKINS             State of Washington, do hereby
Speaker of the House of                certify that the attached is HOUSE
Representatives                        BILL 1226 as passed by the House of
                                       Representatives and the Senate on
                                       the dates hereon set forth.
Passed by the Senate February 23,
2024                                                BERNARD DEAN
  Yeas 49 Nays 0                                                   Chief Clerk
              DENNY HECK
President of the Senate
Approved March 14, 2024 11:08 AM                        FILED
                                                    March 14, 2024
                                                 Secretary of State
              JAY INSLEE                         State of Washington
Governor of the State of Washington
                                HOUSE BILL 1226
                           AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
                   Passed Legislature - 2024 Regular Session
     State of Washington       68th Legislature       2023 Regular Session
     By Representatives Chapman and Fitzgibbon; by request of Department
     of Fish and Wildlife
              Read first time 01/11/23.           Referred to Committee on
     Agriculture and Natural Resources.
1        AN ACT Relating to providing for recreational licensing of smelt,
2    crawfish, and carp; amending RCW 77.32.010; and creating a new
3    section.
4    BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
 5       NEW SECTION.     Sec. 1.    (1) The legislature finds that as
 6   Washington's growing population accesses limited natural resources,
 7   there is a need to increase compliance, and provide education, on
 8   appropriate gear, seasons, and species take limits.
 9       (2) The legislature further finds that previously unregulated
10   species are under increased recreational harvest. Recreational
11   licensing is an appropriate mechanism to educate the public and
12   preserve opportunity in the future.
13       (3) The legislature further finds that eulachon, also known as
14   Pacific smelt and Columbia river smelt, are listed as a threatened
15   species under the endangered species act and licensing requirements
16   are needed to provide angler education and allow for better
17   regulation and monitoring to prevent them from becoming endangered.
18       (4) The legislature also finds that licensing for carp will aid
19   in enforcement of illegal fishing where people fishing for regulated
20   species without a required license have claimed to be fishing for
                                     p. 1                       HB 1226.SL
1    carp, thereby negatively affecting the fisheries of other   regulated
2    species.
3        (5) The legislature further finds that licensing for     crawfish
4    will provide the public with education that enables          them to
5    distinguish   between   native   and    invasive crawfish    species,
6    facilitating the removal of invasive crawfish.
 7       Sec. 2.   RCW 77.32.010 and 2019 c 290 s 3 are each amended to
 8   read as follows:
 9       (1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter or department
10   rule, a recreational license issued by the director is required to
11   hunt, fish, or take wildlife or seaweed. A ((recreational fishing or
12   shellfish license is not required for carp, freshwater smelt, and
13   crawfish, and a)) hunting license is not required for bullfrogs.
14       (2) A pass or permit issued under RCW 79A.80.020, 79A.80.030, or
15   79A.80.040 is required to park or operate a motor vehicle on a
16   recreation site or lands, as defined in RCW 79A.80.010.
17       (3) The commission may, by rule, indicate that a fishing permit
18   issued to a nontribal member by the Colville Tribes shall satisfy the
19   license requirements in subsection (1) of this section on the waters
20   of Lake Rufus Woods and on the north shore of Lake Rufus Woods, and
21   that a Colville Tribes tribal member identification card shall
22   satisfy the license requirements in subsection (1) of this section on
23   all waters of Lake Rufus Woods.
24       (4) A recreational fishing license is not required to fish for
25   carp in Moses Lake or Vancouver Lake.
         Passed by the House March 4, 2024.
         Passed by the Senate February 23, 2024.
         Approved by the Governor March 14, 2024.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 14, 2024.
                                  --- END ---
                                     p. 2                        HB 1226.SL
Statutes affected: 
Original Bill: 77.32.010
Bill as Passed Legislature: 77.32.010
Session Law: 77.32.010