S-3505.2
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8208
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Senators Wagoner, Boehnke, Fortunato, Keiser, Schoesler, Short,
and L. Wilson
Read first time 01/09/24. Referred to Committee on Agriculture,
Water, Natural Resources & Parks.
1 BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:
3 THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the
4 secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state
5 for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to
6 Article I of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a
7 new section to read as follows:
8 Article I, section . . .. From the time humans first occupied
9 this land, hunting, fishing, and foraging have been a necessity and a
10 cultural right. The rights to forage, hunt, fish, and trap, including
11 the use of traditional methods, are a valued part of the heritage of
12 the state of Washington and shall forever be preserved for the people
13 and managed through the laws, rules, and proclamations that preserve
14 the future of hunting, fishing, and trapping. All the people of this
15 state shall have an inalienable right to forage, hunt, fish, trap,
16 and harvest wildlife and fish, subject only to reasonable regulation
17 as prescribed by the Washington state legislature and executive
18 branch. Traditional methods, practices, and procedures of harvest are
19 the preferred means of managing game and fish. Nothing in this
20 section may be construed to modify any provision of common law or
21 statutes relating to trespass, eminent domain, or any other property
p. 1 SJR 8208
1 rights, nor does this section supersede, limit, interpret, or
2 infringe upon any established tribal treaty rights.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause
4 notice of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four
5 times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every
6 legal newspaper in the state.
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p. 2 SJR 8208