Bill to increase hunting, fishing fees clears House committee

Washington lawmakers advanced a bill Saturday that would raise hunting and fishing fees.

The House Appropriations Committee passed Senate Bill 5583 on a 18-12 vote Saturday afternoon in a marathon day of pushing bills through the committee.

The bill would raise most hunting and fishing license fees by 38% starting on July 1. Under the bill, a resident combination fishing license would increase from about $46 per season to about $63 while a resident deer and elk license would go from about $85 to $103.

License fees were last increased in 2011.

Supporters see raising hunting and fishing fees it as a necessary measure to ensure stable funding for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Burien, said the increase reflects the way the cost of managing the state’s fish and wildlife has risen over the years.

“I think this is an unfortunate but necessary step for us to take,” he said.

A fiscal note for the bill estimates a 38% increase would raise $19.5 million over two years. During a hearing on Thursday, a committee staffer said that the fees won’t provide a net increase in the agency’s budget because it shifts the burden of funding the agency away from the state general fund.

The bill comes during a session when lawmakers are searching for ways to deal with a statewide budget shortfall. Raising license fees won’t completely protect WDFW from budget cuts. But supporters of the bill say the cuts will likely be much deeper without an increase in license prices.

Hunters and anglers have raised concerns about the size of the increase. During the hearing Thursday, some said the bill would be better if fees were raised over the course of a few years rather than all at once.

An amendment that would have spread the increase out over four years failed on Saturday.

The bill passed the Senate on 25-24 vote before being referred to the House Appropriations Committee.