Oppose HB1495 and HB1496 – Tribal Access to State Lands and Hunting Enforcement

[Windwalker]

An update-

Proposed SHB 1495 'Adopted'

http://app.leg.wa.gov/m/cmd/main.htm?aid=18705#items_page

PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1495
H-1485.1(2013) by Representative Sawyer
Original bill:
 Requires that the closure of any state lands not restrict tribal members from access to any open
and unclaimed lands where the member's tribe has a treaty right to hunt.
______________________________________________________________________________
Substitute bill compared to original bill:
 Permits the department to restrict access to protect public safety in an emergency 
 Specifies that the closure not restrict access to member's whose tribe has either a treaty or other
federally recognized right to hunt
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Committee: House Community Development, Housing, & Tribal Affairs Committee
Staff: Sean Flynn (786-7124)
Jill Reinmuth (786-7134)
Office of Program Research

History of the Bill
as of Friday, February 15, 2013 5:45 PM

    Sponsors:   Representatives Sawyer, Liias, McCoy, Fey, Hunt, Riccelli, Appleton, Santos, Dunshee, Stanford, Ryu, O'Ban, Ormsby, Pollet
 
    2013 REGULAR SESSION
        Jan 29    First reading, referred to Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs. (View Original Bill)
        Feb 12    Public hearing in the House Committee on Community Development and Housing & Tribal Affairs at 10:00 AM. (Committee Materials)
        Feb 14    Executive action taken in the House Committee on Community Development and Housing & Tribal Affairs at 1:30 PM. (Committee Materials)
            CDHT - Executive action taken by committee.

It isn't over yet-

How a Bill Becomes a Law

1. A bill may be introduced in either the Senate or House of Representatives by a member.
2. It is referred to a committee for a hearing. The committee studies the bill and may hold public hearings on it. It can then pass, reject, or take no action on the bill.
3. The committee report on the passed bill is read in open session of the House or Senate, and the bill is then referred to the Rules Committee.
4. The Rules Committee can either place the bill on the second reading calendar for debate before the entire body, or take no action.
5. At the second reading, a bill is subject to debate and amendment before being placed on the third reading calendar for final passage.
6. After passing one house, the bill goes through the same procedure in the other house.
7. If amendments are made in the other house, the first house must approve the changes.
8. When the bill is accepted in both houses, it is signed by the respective leaders and sent to the governor.
9. The governor signs the bill into law or may veto all or part of it. If the governor fails to act on the bill, it may become law without a signature.

[Hunter4Life]

It isn't over yet.  That is why we are urging members to contact their legislators to oppose this legislation.  The only thing that was adopted in committee was that the substitute bill replaced the original bill.  This battle is a long way from being over.

Good information Windwalker.  A precise step-by-step process of a bill's journey to becoming a law.  I have copied the process in the activism links for future reference.

[washelkhunter]

Would'nt passing these bills be in violation of the Wash. St. Constitution?

SECTION 28 HEREDITARY PRIVILEGES ABOLISHED. No hereditary emoluments, privileges, or powers, shall be granted or conferred in this state.

[Hunter4Life]

Unfortunately that doesn't apply.  These deal with hunting rights granted to the tribes by treaty. 

[Hunter4Life]

FYI:

At the hearing for thse two bills, ten tribes went to the hearing and signed up in support of both of these bills.  They are pressing hard on this issue.  We need to be calling the hotline and emailing our legislators.

[bearpaw]

I called......

Legislative Hotline:  1-800-562-6000
The call took less than 2 minutes, I asked them to: "Please oppose HB 1495 and HB 1496"

........Hotline Hours........
Monday-Friday...8am - 8pm
Saturday...........9am - 1pm
Sunday.............closed

[CementFinisher]

Nice job posting that dale

[Hunter4Life]

Awesome job Dale!  Thank you for posting the hours.

[bearpaw]

The first time I called they were closed, I had to call back during hours. But it was very easy to do, took less than 2 minutes.

I am going to wait a day or two and then email my two legislators again. I'm going to keep hounding them on these bills. If anyone needs to find out who your legislators are, use this link:  http://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/

Once you identify your 2 legislators (representatives) you can find their email address in the list below and send them a message:

2013 WASHINGTON STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES  (Revised 1/27/2013)

gary.alexander@leg.wa.gov; jan.angel@leg.wa.gov; sherry.appleton@leg.wa.gov; steve.bergquist@leg.wa.gov; brian.blake@leg.wa.gov; vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov; reuven.carlyle@leg.wa.gov; bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov; frank.chopp@leg.wa.gov; judy.clibborn@leg.wa.gov; eileen.cody@leg.wa.gov; cary.condotta@leg.wa.gov; larry.crouse@leg.wa.gov; cathy.dahlquist@leg.wa.gov; richard.debolt@leg.wa.gov; hans.dunshee@leg.wa.gov; susan.fagan@leg.wa.gov; jessyn.farrell@leg.wa.gov; jake.fey@leg.wa.gov; joe.fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov; roger.freeman@leg.wa.gov; roger.goodman@leg.wa.gov; tami.green@leg.wa.gov; cyrus.habib@leg.wa.gov; kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov; larry.haler@leg.wa.gov; drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov; mark.hargrove@leg.wa.gov; paul.harris@leg.wa.gov; brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov; dave.hayes@leg.wa.gov; jeff.holy@leg.wa.gov; mike.hope@leg.wa.gov; zack.hudgins@leg.wa.gov; sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov; ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov; christopher.hurst@leg.wa.gov; laurie.jinkins@leg.wa.gov; norm.johnson@leg.wa.gov; ruth.kagi@leg.wa.gov; steve.kirby@leg.wa.gov; brad.klippert@leg.wa.gov; linda.kochmar@leg.wa.gov; joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov; dan.kristiansen@leg.wa.gov; marko.liias@leg.wa.gov; kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; chad.magendanz@leg.wa.gov; matt.manweller@leg.wa.gov; marcie.maxwell@leg.wa.gov; john.mccoy@leg.wa.gov; jim.moeller@leg.wa.gov; dawn.morrell@leg.wa.gov; jeff.morris@leg.wa.gov; luis.moscoso@leg.wa.gov; terry.nealey@leg.wa.gov; steve.o'ban@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov; tina.orwall@leg.wa.gov; jason.overstreet@leg.wa.gov; kevin.parker@leg.wa.gov; jamie.pedersen@leg.wa.gov; eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov; liz.pike@leg.wa.gov; gerry.pollet@leg.wa.gov; chris.reykdal@leg.wa.gov; marcus.riccelli@leg.wa.gov; maryhelen.roberts@leg.wa.gov; jay.rodne@leg.wa.gov; charles.ross@leg.wa.gov; cindy.ryu@leg.wa.gov; sharontomiko.santos@leg.wa.gov; david.sawyer@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; elizabeth.scott@leg.wa.gov; larry.seaquist@leg.wa.gov; mike.sells@leg.wa.gov; matt.shea@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov; norma.smith@leg.wa.gov; larry.springer@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; monica.stonier@leg.wa.gov; pat.sullivan@leg.wa.gov; dean.takko@leg.wa.gov; gael.tarleton@leg.wa.gov; david.taylor@leg.wa.gov; steve.tharinger@leg.wa.gov; dave.upthegrove@leg.wa.gov; kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov; brandon.vick@leg.wa.gov; maureen.walsh@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov; sharon.wylie@leg.wa.gov; hans.zeiger@leg.wa.gov;

Message I sent the first time:
Subject: Oppose HB1495 and HB1496 – Tribal Access to State Lands and Hunting Enforcement

Representative Shelly Short
Representative Joel Kretz

Dear Legislators:

I am writing to respectfully request that you oppose:
HB1495 - AN ACT Relating to access of tribal members to state lands; and
HB1496 - AN ACT Relating to hunting-related enforcement actions involving tribal members.

While I do hold the Washington State Indian Tribes in high regard, I am concerned that both of these Bills are vague, and will result in prejudiced consequences including additional stress on Washington’s limited resources. HB1495 would give preferential treatment to tribal members that would not be available to any other class of citizens. HB1496 would remove jurisdiction from Washington State law enforcement personnel in at least some areas where they now have jurisdiction; they would be required to surrender it exclusively to tribal authorities when a tribal member is involved.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Best Regards,

[Hunter4Life]

Another important point in this debate is that if these two bills fail, the tribes do not lose a thing.  They will still have the same amount of treaty hunting rights.  This effort to defeat both pieces of legislation is not us wanting to take something from the tribes, but a fairness issue.

[bearpaw]

The hotline is open, I just called them again this morning.

Legislative Hotline:  1-800-562-6000
A call takes less than 2 minutes, ask them to: "Please oppose HB 1495 and HB 1496"

........Hotline Hours........
Monday-Friday...8am - 8pm
Saturday...........9am - 1pm
Sunday.............closed

[gaddy]

called & was nice to talk to a real person. was told my message would be forwarded to my reps & senator & they even asked for my phone # for a responce.
feels a-bit better to interact personally than just an e-mail. at least i know someone heard my voice even if it wasnt the target directly. will see if i get a call back.

[Hunter4Life]

called & was nice to talk to a real person. was told my message would be forwarded to my reps & senator & they even asked for my phone # for a responce.
feels a-bit better to interact personally than just an e-mail. at least i know someone heard my voice even if it wasnt the target directly. will see if i get a call back.

Great job.  I doubt you will get a call back, but your voice has been heard.  The legislators will get your input on the bills, plus they get a summary tally of how called for or against each bill from people within their legislative district.  These bills will generate very low call volume from districts outside the districts with a high tribal representation, so every call means even more.