H-1974.1           _______________________________________________
                             SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1700
                   _______________________________________________
State of Washington               56th Legislature             1999 Regular Session
By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by
Representatives Buck, DeBolt, Doumit, Sump, Miloscia, Regala, Radcliff,
Barlean, Tokuda, Schoesler, Hatfield, Eickmeyer, Kessler, Mielke,
Pennington, Clements, Mastin and Dunn)Read first time 02/22/1999.
     AN ACT Relating to regional fisheries enhancement groups; amending
RCW 75.50.115; and adding a new section to chapter 75.50 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
     {+ NEW SECTION. +}  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter
75.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall provide coordination and technical
assistance to facilitate the application by prospective groups to be
regional fisheries enhancement groups.  The department shall provide a
format and guidelines that any prospective group may use to make an
initial application.  Prospective groups must submit the applications
to the department.  Applications are reviewed by the regional fisheries
enhancement group advisory board under RCW 75.50.115.
     (2) The department shall designate geographical areas for which
regional fisheries enhancement groups may be formed.  In addition to
the regions in existence as of January 1, 1999, the department shall
designate four more regions in eastern Washington for the formation of
a total of sixteen regional fisheries enhancement groups.
     Sec. 2.  RCW 75.50.115 and 1998 c 96 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
     (1) The regional fisheries enhancement group advisory board shall:
     (a) Assess the training and technical assistance needs of the
regional fisheries enhancement groups;
     (b) Develop a training and technical assistance services plan in
order to provide timely, topical technical assistance and training
services to regional fisheries enhancement groups.  The plan shall be
provided to the director and to the senate and house of representatives
natural resources committees no later than October 1, 1995, and shall
be updated not less than every year.  The advisory board shall provide
ample opportunity for the public and interested parties to participate
in the development of the plan.  The plan shall include but is notlimited to:
     (i) Establishment of an information clearinghouse service that is
readily available to regional fisheries enhancement groups.  The
information clearinghouse shall collect, collate, and make available a
broad range of information on subjects that affect the development,
implementation, and operation of diverse fisheries and habitat
enhancement projects.  The information clearinghouse service may
include periodical news and informational bulletins;
     (ii) An ongoing program in order to provide direct, on-site
technical assistance and services to regional fisheries enhancement
groups.  The advisory board shall assist regional fisheries enhancement
groups in soliciting federal, state, and local agencies, tribal
governments, institutions of higher education, and private business for
the purpose of providing technical assistance and services to regional
fisheries enhancement group projects; and
     (iii) A cost estimate for implementing the plan;
     (c) Propose a budget to the director for operation of the advisory
board and implementation of the technical assistance plan;
     (d) Make recommendations to the director regarding regional
enhancement group project proposals and funding of those proposals;(({- and -}))
     (e) {+ Review applications by prospective groups applying for
selection as regional fisheries enhancement groups in regions
designated by the department for the establishment of regional
fisheries enhancement groups.  Only one group may be selected as a
regional fisheries enhancement group per region.  The advisory board
shall recommend to the director which group shall be selected as the
regional fisheries enhancement group for a region; and
     (f) +} Establish criteria for the redistribution of unspent project
funds for any regional enhancement group that has a year ending balance
exceeding one hundred thousand dollars.
     (2) The regional fisheries enhancement group advisory board may:
     (a) Facilitate resolution of disputes between regional fisheries
enhancement groups and the department;
     (b) Promote community and governmental partnerships that enhance
the salmon resource and habitat;
     (c) Promote environmental ethics and watershed stewardship;
     (d) Advocate for watershed management and restoration;
     (e) Coordinate regional fisheries enhancement group workshops andtraining;
     (f) Monitor and evaluate regional fisheries enhancement projects;
     (g) Provide guidance to regional fisheries enhancement groups; and
     (h) Develop recommendations to the director to address identified
impediments to the success of regional fisheries enhancement groups.
     (3)(a) The regional fisheries enhancement group advisory board
shall develop recommendations for limitations on the amount of overhead
that a regional fisheries enhancement group may charge from each of the
following categories of funding provided to the group:     (i) Federal funds;
     (ii) State funds;     (iii) Local funds; and     (iv) Private donations.
     (b) The advisory board shall develop recommendations for
limitations on the number and salary of paid employees that are
employed by a regional fisheries enhancement group.  The regional
fisheries enhancement group advisory board shall adhere to the founding
principles for regional groups that emphasize the volunteer nature of
the groups, maximization of field-related fishery resource benefits,
and minimization of overhead.
     (c) The advisory board shall evaluate and make recommendations for
the limitation or elimination of commissions, finders fees, or other
reimbursements to regional fisheries enhancement group employees.
     (({- (d) The regional fisheries enhancement group advisory board
shall report to the appropriate legislative committees by January 1,
1999, on the board recommendations for overhead limitations, paid
employee limitations, and commission limitations for regional fisheries
enhancement groups. -}))                                     --- END ---