OLYMPIA, Wash – Several Eastern Washington lawmakers spoke out against a bill in Olympia that would raise the cost of obtaining hunting and fishing licenses.
Senate bill 5538 narrowly passed the Senate Wednesday.
If the bill passes, hunting and fishing license fees will go up 38 percent.
The fee for hunting big game deer would go from $39 to $53.82.
A freshwater fishing license would go from $25 to $34.50.
It would raise the license fees for the first time since 2011. Before that, the fees hadn’t been raised since 1998.
The bill would also allow for a reduced rate for senior citizens.
The state estimates it would bring in an additional $19.3 million per biennium.
Senator Marko Liias, a Democrat from Edmonds, said the fee revenues help preserve wildland programs in the state.
“Nobody likes a fee increase,” Sen. Liias said, saying he spoke to his father who is a hunter about the bill. “But when we talked about the cost and benefit and understanding that the fees pay for critical work across our state, I think like a lot of us my dad reluctantly admitted this is a prudent course forward. We need to take care of the wild places in our state. This allows us to do that.”
Senator Shelly Short (R) from Addy agreed that the state needs to continue to support the work of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. However, she pointed out the people in her district already struggling.
“This is the meat they put in their freezers,” she said.
Senator Leonard Christian, a Republican representing Spokane Valley, opened his remarks in opposition by telling his fellow lawmakers that he grew up very poor. He said one of the few things his mom could do with the family as a child was to take them fishing.
He said when you add up all the fees needed for recreation, it can be prohibitive for some families.
“It isn’t just the cost of the fishing license,” Sen. Christian said. “It’s the Discover Pass, it’s the day use pass, it’s the fuel, it’s everything that just adds up.”
“It’s getting unaffordable to have fun in this state,” he said.
The bill was introduced into the house Friday and moved into committee.
You can see all of the bill information here.
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