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Community => Advocacy, Agencies, Access => Topic started by: bigtex on January 20, 2017, 07:45:26 AM

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Title: HB 1478/SB 5342 Would Allow Some Counties to Keep Discover Pass Fine Money
Post by: bigtex on January 20, 2017, 07:45:26 AM

HB 1478 requested by State Parks and sponsored by Representatives Blake, Klippert, Goodman, Johnson, Griffey, J.
Walsh, and Fitzgibbon would change the allocation of the Discover Pass penalties. One year after the DP took effect the legislature (against State Parks wishes) changed the allocation of the DP penalty from mostly going to county governments to 100% going to the DP account. HB 1478 would change that allocation.

Under this bill those counties with less than 100,000 residents would keep 25% of the penalties  Those counties with more than 100,000 residents will continue to distribute 100% of the penalty funds to the DP account. A couple counties (notably Skamania) have said they should receive some funds for processing the tickets in court, this bill would do just that.

The Senate has a companion bill, SB 5342 sponsored by Senators King, Takko, Pearson, and Pedersen. Both bills are basically split equally with both R and D sponsors.

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1478.pdf