OLYMPIA — Legislation has been introduced to create a $30 per vehicle “Discover Pass” that would be needed to visit state recreation lands.
Senate Bill 5622 was introduced on Monday and a public hearing was held on Wednesday before the Senate Natural Resources and Marine Waters Committee. The committee did not vote on the bill.
The Discover Pass would be needed to visit lands managed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources and Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
A daily pass would be $10.
A free annual pass would be given to volunteers who donate 40 hours working on projects sanctioned by the agencies.
Money from sales of the pass would be split with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Department of Natural Resources each getting 7.5 percent. State Parks would get 85 percent.
Both DNR and Fish and Wildlife would get an estimated $5.5 million per two-year budget cycle and state parks would get $61 million. Money in excess of $71 million would be distributed evenly.
State general fund dollars are being cut to all three agencies.
“State general revenues are no longer a stable source of funding for outdoor recreation on state lands,” said Phil Anderson, director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“We need a new way to fund recreation and a user-pay model seems the fairest — those who use parks pay for them,” said Don Hoch, state parks director.
The single pass is intended to make it easier for state residents.
State Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources officials have been discussing such a pass for month. Earlier discussions included hunting and fishing license holders paying only $5.
Ann Larson, legislative liaison for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the discount is not in the initial legislation.
The companion bill in the state House is HB 1796.
“We need to talk about not just how much our outdoor recreation services cost, but also how much it costs to lose them,” said Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Anacortes, prime sponsor of SB 5622. “Without this legislation, we will witness widespread closure of state parks and other public facilities.”
