HB 1271 Would Reduce the Penalty for not Having a Discover Pass

[bigtex]

HB 1271 sponsored by Representatives Harmsworth, Muri, Bergquist, Stokesbary, MacEwen, Van Werven, Condotta, Doglio, and Buys would reduce the penalty for not having a Discover Pass from $99 to the actual price of the Discover Pass (currently $33). If you provide proof to the court that you have purchased the pass within 15 days of your citation, the penalty is waived, currently the fine is reduced from $99 to $59.

[bigtex]

I'm sure I'll be in the minority but I don't like this bill. Basically this would mean someone who didn't buy the pass before going on state lands doesn't get penalized as long as they then buy the pass and show it to the judge. Well, then why buy the pass at all? Why not just go to state lands without the pass and if you get caught, oh well pay your $33 to get a pass, show the judge and it's taken care of. It's basically saying you don't have to follow the law 

[Okanagan]

The whole concept of charging citizens to go on public land is bad law.  But that battle is long past.  This bill makes a bad law less onerous.  You are correct that it shows open contempt for the Discovery Pass and encourages people to not buy it until caught, and then have no extra penalty.  Bravo!

 

[Wanttohuntmore]

I haven't voted yet, I see where you are coming from.  The fact that we have to have this pass to fund DNR is bs.  On the bright side, if the fine is less, more would violate it, and probably tie up more enforcement resources and court resources, possibly making it even less likely to be enforced.   What grabs my goat is that I don't mind paying my share for public properties, but when the government has its hand out at every turn in the road, a fee here, a permit there, a fine there, a license here,,,, it makes criminals out of ordinary folks.  I can guarantee the people I work with have no idea what a discovery pass is, yet they break that rule all the time.  I can go on and on....  Take the tax out of property or sales or gas and quit adding fees!

[EmeraldBullet]

I'm sure I'll be in the minority but I don't like this bill. Basically this would mean someone who didn't buy the pass before going on state lands doesn't get penalized as long as they then buy the pass and show it to the judge. Well, then why buy the pass at all? Why not just go to state lands without the pass and if you get caught, oh well pay your $33 to get a pass, show the judge and it's taken care of. It's basically saying you don't have to follow the law 

I totally agree. This bill is BS in my opinion.

I know it's not the same thing, but what if the state did the same thing with buying hunting tags? If you plan on using a service pay for it, if you don't and get caught you should pay a price IMO.

[Okanagan]

Next DNR will add a fee to drive on any road designated scenic.  After all, people on those roads can enjoy the view of WA State.  Then they can add a fee for each wild animal seen along the way, maybe a dollar per elk or bear, 75 cents for a deer or coyote and down to ten cents per squirrel or rabbit. They could monitor animals along the road by satellite and charge by how many could have been seen.  If you didn't see it, your tough luck and pay up.  Or an easier method of fee would be to average animals seen on each route and charge a flat fee I.e. between Seattle and Spokane:  1.75 deer, .5 elk, .1 bear, 1 coyote, 2 rabbits, 4 turkeys... etc.  This is not a toll road fee but a natural resources fund, a way to "give something back" and enhance the outdoors. Hope DNR gives me a free pass for coming up with this idea, though I'm sure they are already considering something like this.

[dreamunelk]

I am definitely not a fan of the discover pass.  Especially since I have to buy two.

That said I have noticed what DNR and WDFW has done with the funds.  DNR camp grounds that I frequent are in the best shape I can remember.  They are primitive but, I can see they are spending funds on these.  A lot of repairs for boat launches would not have been done with out these funds.  Considering they both get something like 8% they are making good use of the funds.
Even though I hate paying I am seeing results that benefit most of us so have voted no.

As for parks I have nothing good to say.

[EmeraldBullet]

Next DNR will add a fee to drive on any road designated scenic.  After all, people on those roads can enjoy the view of WA State.  Then they can add a fee for each wild animal seen along the way, maybe a dollar per elk or bear, 75 cents for a deer or coyote and down to ten cents per squirrel or rabbit. They could monitor animals along the road by satellite and charge by how many could have been seen.  If you didn't see it, your tough luck and pay up.  Or an easier method of fee would be to average animals seen on each route and charge a flat fee I.e. between Seattle and Spokane:  1.75 deer, .5 elk, .1 bear, 1 coyote, 2 rabbits, 4 turkeys... etc.  This is not a toll road fee but a natural resources fund, a way to "give something back" and enhance the outdoors. Hope DNR gives me a free pass for coming up with this idea, though I'm sure they are already considering something like this.

LMFAO

[WAcoueshunter]

Curious what their angle is...are they objecting to the public paying for access to public land, and instead want our general fund to pay for it?

Or....

Are they aiming to gut the use tax (Discover Pass) so public lands are even more underfunded and it will be easier to sell them off? 

[JimmyHoffa]

If they don't like it, just repeal it.  But this bill  , just lets a bunch of people not buy and hope they can delay purchase only if they get caught. 

[GBoyd]

I'm surprised that everybody seems to be against the Discover Pass. If we pay an extra tax to hunt, it makes sense to me that the hikers and boaters should have to contribute as well. I like the Discover Pass and I'd love to see the forest pass increase to about $150 so that people would appreciate how expensive it is to maintain roads in the mountains.

It's a shame. Everybody wants to have nice things and they want somebody else to pay for it.

[JimmyHoffa]

State parks gets 84% of it.  Can't hunt in state parks.

[GBoyd]

State parks gets 84% of it.  Can't hunt in state parks.

Right. Non-hunters are paying an extra tax to use the outdoors, just like hunters have been for a long time.

[hunter399]

They can pay for roads,through timber,livestock leases,and the other resorces the state takes off of state land ,I don't like the state land that is landlocked from private land around it , we pay for this pass and can't use some state lands,it's like a private hunting area for the people that own the border land and we have to buy a pass for it .I did buy my pass this year first time and still don't like it .good for them on lower fees for offenders.rant over.

[Curly]

I'm not a fan of the Discover Pass but this bill is dumb. The current penalty is not that bad.  All the bill would do is make people willing to risk getting caught without the pass. If someone is in an area where a pass is required they need to buy the stupid pass since that is the law.