Community > Advocacy, Agencies, Access
SB5390 raise discover pass fee
timberfaller:
"DNR users will pay 50% more and experience reductions to services" quote from DNR's web page on bill 5390. Take it for what its worth.
From a email sent to me:
The Discover Pass was implemented 15 years ago to help fund Washington State Parks, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The current status is that funds are allocated as 84% to State Parks, 8% to DNR and 8% to WDFW up to $71M each biennium, and any money beyond that initial $71M is to be allocated as 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 to each of the three agencies. Over the past 15 years, the price of the Discover Pass has not been increased despite accumulated inflation of 46%, and the shortfalls have been made-up by allocations from the General Fund.
However, we now have a new state administration under which these reallocations from the General Fund are no longer being made, thus the proposed 50% increase in Discover Pass pricing from the current $30 to $45 as proposed in ESSB 5390. This was presented in the WA State Senate, which amended ESSB 5390 to also increase the $71M threshold to $100M for the transition to the 1/3-1/3-1/3 allocation. This may affect the funding for DNR and WDFW.
DNR is proposing that the change in allocation of funding for these agencies might be better addressed after engaging input from the stakeholders, including State Parks, DNR, WDFW, and recreation users such as hikers, mountain bikers, 4x4, ATV, motorcycle, snowmobile and equestrian communities. They propose consideration to defer action on this legislation until the next legislative session to incorporate this input.
HUNTIN4SIX:
--- Quote from: bigtex on March 20, 2025, 12:59:01 PM ---
--- Quote from: HUNTIN4SIX on March 20, 2025, 12:48:21 PM ---Just more money for them to mismanage. Wdfw is celebrating cause they get a cut.
--- End quote ---
They've always gotten a portion of it.
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
--- End quote ---
I know I spent 25 years with the outfit. I was there when it was originally enacted. It definitely pulled a few agencies out of a pickle.
I also participated in the mismanagement part. Spend it or lose it. Lotsa stories I could tell.
pat2bear:
Just a psa on the status of this bill. It cleared the senate in April and will be signed by JayBob tomorrow. I pray their revenue goes down because people just refuse to buy it now.
hunter399:
Bought one the other day, mostly cause you have to for Access.
The two vehicle limit pisses me off the most.
Moose Master:
Did they raise State Park fees? That should be a question to our legislatures
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