Discover Pass Bill Passes House

Good news - we just received word from the halls of Olympia that engrossed substitute House Bill 2373 has passed the House, 54-44.

The next step for HB 2373? It'll now move on to the Senate, where it may be heard in policy and fiscal committees but more likely will form the vehicle for a House/Senate compromise. A similar, but less detailed bill, passed the state Senate on January 27.

Here's what's in the bill:

• Adds two-vehicle transferability.
• Creates an up to $50 Family Discover Pass that is transferable among any vehicles registered in a household between any vehicle.
• Does not allow WDFW to charge vendor fees when people buy a  Discover Pass from the WILD site.
• Exempts possessor of a daily Sno-Park permit from requiring a Discover Pass or Day-use permit at designated Sno-Parks.
• Allows Discover Pass purchaser to designate a start date, making the Pass giftable.
• Allows for Iron Rangers (unstaffed pay stations) on State Parks.
• Requires free access days at State Parks and suggests they be timed with National Park Service free days.
• Codifies that the DNR, the WDFW, and State Parks must designate free 15-minute short-term parking.
• Adds to the types of vehicles for which the owners are given the opportunity to donate to state parks upon vehicle registration (heavy trucks, single-axle trailers, RVs and ORVs).
• Creates a $10 state parks support fee on recreational vehicle registrations until July 1, 2015, to be used to pay for State Parks sites that serve ORV users.
• Allows tsunami cleanup to count as volunteer hours towards a free Discover Pass.
• Requires the agencies to develop proposals for finding consistent state recreational policies where inconsistencies exist and to report findings to the Legislature. Refers to inconsistent management of Discover Pass and Volunteer component.

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