HB 5721 Would Move WDFW & State Parks Under Commissioner of Public Lands (DNR)

[bigtex]

The WA legislative session begins next week. Due to the "drama" over the WDFW Commission regarding the most recent spring bear decision there will likely be several bills targeting the makeup and authority of the commission. HB 5721 would  make WDFW and State Parks reportable to the Commissioner of Public Lands which is an elected position (currently held by Hilary Franz.) The Commissioner would have the authority to appoint the Directors of WDFW and State Parks. The WDFW Commission and State Parks Commission would become advisory commissions and lose their ability to enact regulations. The ability to enact/change regulations would be at the behest of the agency Directors, who again are supervised by the Commissioner of Public Lands.

The bill is sponsored by Senators Van De Wege & Salomon. Since Van De Wege oversees the Senate committee which oversees the natural resource agencies this bill WILL immediately have some traction.

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5721.pdf?q=20220106192849

[hunter399]

The WA legislative session begins next week. Due to the "drama" over the WDFW Commission regarding the most recent spring bear decision there will likely be several bills targeting the makeup and authority of the commission. HB 5721 would  make WDFW and State Parks reportable to the Commissioner of Public Lands which is an elected position (currently held by Hilary Franz.) The Commissioner would have the authority to appoint the Directors of WDFW and State Parks. The WDFW Commission and State Parks Commission would become advisory commissions and lose their ability to enact regulations. The ability to enact/change regulations would be at the behest of the agency Directors, who again are supervised by the Commissioner of Public Lands.

The bill is sponsored by Senators Van De Wege & Salomon. Since Van De Wege oversees the Senate committee which oversees the natural resource agencies this bill WILL immediately have some traction.

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5721.pdf?q=20220106192849

In one direction ,I don't feel the commission is on the up and up,but at the other end of it . I'm not a huge Hilary Franz fan.
I do like that Kelly susywind or how ever you spell his name.
I think he gets put in a rock and a hard place,and does the best he can with the cards he is dealt.
So I really just have mixed feelings about that whole dumpster fire.

[follow maggie]

I don’t see good things for hunting & fishing under the control of Hillary Franz. She has the Bainbridge Island contempt for anyone not like her.

[hunter399]

I don’t see good things for hunting & fishing under the control of Hillary Franz. She has the Bainbridge Island contempt for anyone not like her.

Ya I'll just say I didn't vote for her last time,but I don't have a problem with a woman running,I believe last time I voted for the other woman that was running against her.

[follow maggie]

I don’t have an issue with women being there, either. I met her several times when she on the Bainbridge Island city council.  She’s the least sincere, most self serving person I’ve ever met in person. She has absolutely no use or tolerance for people who aren’t rich & willing to do things for her.

[pd]

There are a lot of moving parts to this.  Sen. Van de Wege's bill is just one small piece of the puzzle.  Putting DFW under the Com. of Public Lands would create a mini-Governor (thus, weakening the actual Governor). A lot of people in both houses will think this through, and ultimately this bill will go no-where.  This is my prediction.

However, it will have one distinct effect: Gov. Inslee will wake up from his stupor, and actually do something about the F&W Commission.  What he does I have no prediction.

[hunter399]

I just don't like Hilary Franz cause ,she closes public land on the drop of a hat. For fire season she acts like DNR owns private property. This year will be a perfect example here soon ,mega snowpack and I'm just waiting to hear the woods are closed for early bear season in August.

[Moose Master]

I just don't like Hilary Franz cause ,she closes public land on the drop of a hat. For fire season she acts like DNR owns private property. This year will be a perfect example here soon ,mega snowpack and I'm just waiting to hear the woods are closed for early bear season in August.

Mega snow now has nothing to do with woods conditions in August.  Even a late wet warm spring can hurt access in August because of additional brush grow and then a couple of dry months and were in a bad situation.  If jack-wagons wouldn't insist on being careless in tinder dry woods maybe the woods wouldn't be closed.   Smokey the Bear can't be everywhere.

[Wphunt]

Franz has been trying to absorb wdfw and state parks into dnr for a few years. Hard to say weather this would ultimately be good or bad. I don’t know franz myself but I do know someone who works with her closely. Franz is doing this to further her career. She has far greater ambitions than growing the dnr. She is a politician and wants to take that as far as she can. Governor->senator/ representative-> president.

[fireweed]

Haven't thought out all the ramifications, but I know this state has had recent a Republican commissioners of Public land but no Republican (or even moderate) Governor that I remember.

[buckfvr]

I believe this was attempted several years ago and failed.  I see it as different bureaucrat, more problems. For sure no checks and balances.  What we need is regionally elected commissioners, and regionally elected game managers so focus can be placed on the needs of specific regions without falling to the demands of the higher populated areas.

[bigtex]

I believe this was attempted several years ago and failed.  I see it as different bureaucrat, more problems. For sure no checks and balances.  What we need is regionally elected commissioners, and regionally elected game managers so focus can be placed on the needs of specific regions without falling to the demands of the higher populated areas.

This is different than the past proposals which would've essentially dissolved WDFW and State Parks into DNR. Under this bill there would still be a WDFW and State Parks, they would just report to the Commissioner of Public Lands.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[Elkaholic daWg]

I will notify my reps and senator of my thoughts on this bad idea!

[Humptulips]

You can bet if Van De Wege is sponsoring it, it is a bad idea.

[buckfvr]

You can bet if Van De Wege is sponsoring it, it is a bad idea.

Yep, driven by agenda.