Weekend Report on the two Mining Bills in the State Legislature

There are two mining bills working their way through the Washington State Legislature. One is HB 2871 (sponsored by Representatives Kretz and McCune) which would decriminalize violations of the State Department of Fish and Wildlife's Gold and Fish Pamphlet. Under current law, a violation of the Pamphlet's provisions is punishable as a gross misdemeanor. As the law now stands, merely using a gold pan at the wrong time of year or in the wrong place could lead to a criminal conviction. HB 2871 would reduce such a violation to a civil transgression known as a "Natural Resources Infraction." On February 5th the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee of the House passed HB 2871 to the Rules Committee for its second reading.

The other bill, SB 6343 (sponsored by Senators Morton, Carrell, and Roach), would allow small-scale placer mining in selected locations on Washington's ocean beaches. Under current law, any such mining is prohibited. On February 7th the Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation Committee of the Senate voted to pass a substitute bill to the Rules Committee for second reading.

The next step for both of these bills is for the respective Rules Committees to place the bills on the second reading of the calendar for debate before the entire body of the respective branches of the Legislature. At the second reading, each bill is then subject to debate and amendment before being placed on the third reading calendar for final passage. After passage, each bill would be sent to the opposite chamber of the Legislature to go through the entire process again. Once both chambers of the legislature have agreed upon, passed, and the leaders signed the same version of the bill, the bill then goes to the Governor for signature. The entire process is explained in detail here.

We shall keep a mindful eye on the progress of these two items.