Lawmakers Pass Washington Fish-Hunt Fee Increase Out Of House; Headed Soon To Governor

A fishing and hunting license increase is one big step closer to hitting most Washington hunters and anglers’ wallets this summer after Substitute Senate Bill 5583 passed out of the House of Representatives on a 51-46 vote yesterday.

With signatures from the heads of both chambers of the legislature, the bill now heads for Governor Bob Ferguson’s desk. The 38 percent increase is slated to take effect July 1 of this year. Hunters 70 and older would enjoy a new 66 percent price break on hunting licenses.

As in the Senate, where the bill passed by just a single vote, a handful of House Democrats joined their colleagues on the other side of the aisle against it, but Representative Mia Gregersen (D-SeaTac) wasn’t one of them.

“My family hunts. My family fishes. So we too enjoy this. I think over 31 million people since 2020 have enjoyed these activities and it’s something we want to continue to do,” Gregersen said in regards to anglers, hunters, wildlife viewers and other recreational users on WDFW wildlife areas and water accesses. “But inflation does continue to go up. These fees have not gone up. It is time to do that. We are in a budget crisis, and we do need to tighten our belts and be responsible. And this is part of that.”

The increase would be the first since 2011 and second since 1998. The bill would also authorize the Fish and Wildlife Commission in odd years to tack on a surcharge to fund increased operating costs passed on by lawmakers, compensation or central services. It was cosponsored by Senators Marko Liias (D-Mukilteo), June Robinson (D-Everett) and T’wina Nobles (D-Tacoma).

On the other side of the aisle, Representative Ed Orcutt (R-Kalama) worried the increase would lead to fewer sportsmen on the landscape and less ability for WDFW to manage the wild world.

“It’s true that our population very much loves to hunt and fish. They like doing this. But they like it less and less when they have to pay more and more and when they get less and less opportunity,” said Orcutt. “So it’s really important, Mr. Speaker, to turn this bill down. Let’s not price people out. Let’s not disincentivize the people that we need to … actually carry out the management activities on the ground. Please say no to this bill.”

Recalling wonderful childhood days spent chasing the “ghost buck of Barnaby Creek” in Northeast Washington, the well-named Representative Hunter Abell (R-Inchelium) said the bill would mean fewer youth sportsmen would be able to enjoy such pursuits.

Republicans also offered a number of amendments during floor debate Wednesday afternoon, including one that would have at least phased the increase in over several years.

“This could be a sticker shock in fees for hunting and fishing for many people in my district and across the state of Washington,” argued Representative Travis Couture (R-Allyn). “And at least this amendment would gradually ease those fees in so it doesn’t harm them as much.”

A nonpartisan fiscal note attached to the bill does forecast an 11 percent decrease in license sales as well as $350,000 less in federal disbursements that are tied to those sales, but it was voted down, with Representative Joel Fitzgibbon (D-West Seattle) claiming a stepped approach would lead to “significantly reduced recreational hunting and fishing opportunities.”

SSB 5583 would raise $19.3 million every two years, but a like amount in state General Fund dollars is being sucked out of WDFW’s budget by lawmakers, making the increase a wash at the end of the day.

WDFW did NOT request the license increase; it came from state legislators.

An amendment from Representative Jim Walsh (R-Aberdeen) would have directed percentages of hunting and fishing license revenues to elk hoof rot research and pinniped predation management “for finding practical solutions to the problems that the state has let get worse in our wildlife and fish populations.”

But Fitzgibbon said money is already being spent to study the wapiti-disabling disease at Washington State University on an ongoing basis and the House’s operating budget includes $1.1 million for WDFW for Columbia sea lion management, and he pointed out that Walsh had voted against that budget bill when it came up for a House vote.

Other amendments that were also voted down would have:

• required WDFW to offer license discounts to armed services veterans;
• tied the increases to boosted bag limits;
• kept fees where they’re at now for those below certain incomes;
• and deleted the bill’s emergency clause, that is, it’s July 1 effective date, the start of the state budget year, instead of 90 days after the governor’s signature.

In the end, SSB 5583 passed with 51 Democrats voting aye and 38 Republicans and eight Democrats voting nay, and one member excused. The bill has since been signed by the Senate president and speaker of the House and now goes to the governor’s desk.

According to a final bill report from nonpartisan legislative staff, any license surcharges the commission passes on “may not exceed the percentage increase needed to generate revenue to offset the increased costs and must apply equally to all fees, except the surcharge does not apply to transaction fees, commercial application fees, and dealer fees.” The surcharges would need to be passed by November 1 of odd-numbered years. Senate Republicans had tried to strip that authority out of the bill.

Lawmakers in both chambers have also approved increasing Discover Pass fees, and the return of the Columbia River endorsement is looking more likely after passing out of the House last week and due for action in the Senate Ways and Means Committee tomorrow.