The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation monitors a myriad of state legislature bills across many states that may impact its mission of ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage.
After 105 days, the Washington Legislature adjourned on April 27. Democrats used large majorities in the House and Senate to pass a $77.9 billion two-year budget for state government, including more than $4 billion in new spending. They built the budget on $12.5 billion in additional state and local taxes over the next four years, as well as various fee increases.
RMEF works with a coalition of hunting and fishing groups in Washington known as the Washington Fish and Wildlife Conservation Partnership (WFWCP). Below are a few of the issues the WFWCP worked on this past year:
Fish and Wildlife Commission (SB 5728) – Because of growing concerns that the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission was increasingly disconnected from the hunting and fishing community that it regulates and because we kept seeing increased instances of WDFW staff science being ignored, 14 members of WFWCP introduced SB 5728. The bill included ideas from other states to improve the process of governor appointments to the commission and added checks and balances to the system. While the bill did not move, Governor Bob Ferguson took the concerns to heart and rejected former Governor Jay Inslee’s appointments to the commission. Ferguson then appointed three nominees that the sportsmen community generally support.
- Event Fundraising (SB 5443) – RMEF, Ducks Unlimited and others partnered with the Nonprofit Association of Washington to improve nonprofit fundraising rules. In 2024, RMEF partnered on a successful petition to the Washington State Gambling Commission to improve rules related to raffles. Since then, WFWCP worked with more than 40 nonprofit organizations, like the Boys & Girls Clubs, to write SB 5443, which would allow nonprofit events to raise more money through raffles, sweepstakes and bingo with less red tape. We are currently working with the Washington Tribes to refine the bill for successful passage next year.
- Gun and Ammunition Taxes (HB 1386) – The coalition helped prevent passage of a gun tax increase bill that looked to create an additional 11% retail tax on all firearms and ammunition, mocking the existing Pittman-Robertson tax at wholesale that hunters created in 1937, and which funds important state conservation and hunter safety programs. This proposed state tax aimed to fund more gun control, not conservation.
- New Gun Permit Requirements (HB 1163) – The legislature passed a new gun bill requiring a permit to buy a firearm starting in May 2027. The five-year permit requires live, supervised training at a range, among other requirements. Lawmakers unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to make Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) hunter safety courses meet these new requirements.
- Insurance Requirements for Gun Ownership (HB 1504) – WFWCP successfully opposed HB 1504, which looked to impose liability insurance on individuals buying or possessing a firearm. This requirement would have created another barrier to hunting and firearms ownership and would ultimately lead to fewer hunters and conservation funding in our state.
- Firearms and Knives Prohibitions (SB 5098) – Sportsmen also helped prevent the passage of SB 5098, which sought to ban firearms and knives in any public areas where youth may be present. Because the language was vague and would prevent public access to many hunting and shooting areas, including impacts to high school shooting sports, we successfully worked with our partners to defeat this bill.
- Increase in hunting and fishing license fees (SB 5583) – This bill passed by just one vote in the Senate and will increase recreational hunting and fishing license fees by 38 percent. Funding from this fee increase will largely replace state general fund dollars previously taken away from WDFW by the legislature this session. The higher fees go into effect on July 1, 2025.