Contact: Josh Weiss, Legislative/Legal Affairs Coordinator (360) 902-2226

Situation

Current law provides that for each hunting or fishing license purchased, the Department must issue one vehicle use permit. Hunters and fishers may be issued up to eight complimentary decals if certain licenses are purchased separately. On the other hand, those who simultaneously purchase multiple licenses receive only one decal. The purpose of the law is to generate income from people who do not hunt or fish but who use Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) access sites for boating and other activities.

The philosophy at the time the statute was adopted was that a permanently affixed decal was the greatest incentive for non-hunters and non-fishers to obtain a decal. Persons who hunted or fished were already helping to fund Department programs, therefore, it was felt they should receive as many decals as needed, free of charge.

The Problem

A change in statutory authority is needed to provide the department with flexibility to address specific problems that arise in the administration of vehicle use permits. For example, the current statute requires proof of ownership of additional vehicles prior to the issuance of a second decal. However this is not being implemented at WDFW's 700 license dealer locations.

The issuance of multiple permits to the same persons has added unnecessary costs. In addition, it is felt that some hunters and fishers with more than one decal are giving them to friends and acquaintances who have not contributed to WDFW programs.

Another administrative issue has arisen from the fact that statute requires a decal to be affixed in a permanent manner to the rear window of a vehicle. Many people do not want a permanent decal attached to their vehicle.

The Solution

The department needs flexibility to address issues such as these without having to seek specific statutory changes.

The agency proposes to amend RCW 77.32.380 to clarify that persons purchasing multiple hunting or fishing licenses are entitled to only one complimentary vehicle use permit for each person who purchases a hunting and/or fishing licenses.

The Department also proposes eliminating the statutory language requiring that the vehicle access permit be in the form of a decal, that the decal be affixed permanently to a vehicle and that notes the exact location where the decal must be affixed. Language required a person to prove ownership of a second vehicle in order to purchase a second decal would also be removed.

Additional language would be added, giving the Fish and Wildlife Commission the authority to adopt rules for the administration of the vehicle lands permits.

The result is that the department will be able to provide better customer service in a timely manner.

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