But today's legislature wants their campaign donations...

Ah, but how much casino revenue was in the political mix in 1995? Probably close enough to zero to make it a non-factor. These days, that number is some integer, followed by 6 (maybe 7) zeros, and darned if the Tribes aren't making a few friends in high places....

The F&W commission is as strong today, as back in 1995, while defending being “gutted” by some in the past handful of years.

If you can’t beat them then chip away at one of their core values of transparency through open meetings, while not in place could lead to corruption through clandestine meetings having politics and not science dictate the outcome of fish and wildlife in this state.

That is not a viable option back then or now.

The core values of the commission need to be defended as rigorously as the commission itself as WE the people intended in the past to present times.

Here's the interesting thing...these aren't just a bunch of Nobody's in the leg...each one is a Chair or Vice Chair of some fairly influential committees:

Sawyer: Chair - Commerce & Gaming
Hansen: Chair - Higher Education
Fitzgibbon: Chair - Environment
Jinkins: Chair - Judiciary
Frame: ViceChair - Finance
Gregerson: ViceChair - Labor & Workplace Standards
Santos: Chair - Education
Tarleton: ViceChair - Technology & Economic Development AND she's the majority floor leader
Pollet: ViceChair - Higher Education

Only Stanford isn't listed as a leader of some committee, so overall this seems to have quite of bit of influential support behind it from a bunch of the Dem's leadership roll. This could be why this bill has seemingly been fast tracked...it passed out of the House committee today with almost unanimous support (only 1 vote against).

You can sign up to follow various bills in the WA legislature. Here's a link to look at HB 1097. If you sign up for tracking, you'll be updates on any action. There were a couple of amendments to the bill today in the Executive session.

http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1097&Year=2017

I was just taking another look at this and realized how broad it is. What does " any specific Department policy, rule, or action that affects tribal hunting rights" really mean. The term action leaves a lot open to interpretation. Since the department signs off on most environmental permits and logging permits, would all these be included. If so, the power grab by the tribes could be huge. They effectively could require meetings on every construction project that has a SEPA required. This has a huge possibility of being a cash cow for the tribes. There is no way the governor could meet with them everything. Hence some sort of compensation, of terms yet unknown, could be negotiated.

It is all about the money. The more that the tribes can become "players" the better their opportunity to extort money in order for their not opposing any given project. A perfect example is the Point No Point boat launch. The Suquamish would have withdrawn their objection if their demands had been met - to include a sizeable cash payment for anticipated harm to their ability to exercise their treaty fishing rights. The WDFW didn't knuckle under and where do we stand? The Corps of Engineers apparently won't issue the necessary permit in the face of the tribal objection no matter how de minimus the potential impact.

Wonder if the "new regime" in DC will change the Corps' mind?

Looks like we have a new law. The Senate vote will turn up a few more No's, but only because the Dems wrote it. We know our beloved Governor isn't going to fight it.

Why don't we just get this over with and appoint a tribal chief our governor? That way, no secret meetings will be needed. They can just give it to us straight.

HB 1097 is in direct conflict of Referendum Bill 45 regarding transparency through open meetings replacing closed door politics for science driven conservation when it comes to administering of our state fish and wildlife through the F&W commission. The findings and intent of referendum bill 45 states that the commission must act in an open and deliberative process that encourages public involvement and increases public confidence in department decision making.

Referendum 45 was sent to ballot by the 1995 state legislature. By looking at the poll results, the highly popular referendum bill 45 passed statewide by nearly 61% while passing in each and every county of our state. The legislature passed this into law in conjunction with the State of Washington voter’s wishes.

Our state legislature and state voters from all corners of our state spoke loud and clear against a bill like HB 1097 regarding closed door meetings/ politic when it comes to managing our fragile state fish and wildlife resources.

Too be more specific;

When the lawmakers in Olympia sent Referendum Bill 45 to the ballot for the state voters to reject or ratify, the results were a resounding victory in every county in the state resulting in sections being added to Title 77 of the RCW’s by our Olympia lawmakers in conjunction with the electorate of this state.

Sections of law added resulting from Referendum Bill 45 were RCW 77.04.013, and RCW 77.04.055 among others.

HB 1097 wants to add language to RCW 77.04.055 and at the same time ignore RCW 77.04.013 which states “The commission acts in an open and deliberative process that encourages public involvement and increases public confidence in department decision making.”

HB 1097 language requiring the F&W commission or WDFW on the commission's behalf to closed to the public meetings is in contempt of existing law and intent of what the lawmakers and voters from all corners of the state expected as proper conduct.

My wife and I voted for referendum bill 45 with the understanding that open to public involvement meetings would replace some of the perceived closed door clandestine meetings in the management of our fish and wildlife of our state.

In other words, we felt that the fragile state of our fish and wildlife would be better served by being managed by other means (science) than politics through the F&W Commission.

There is a substitute HB 1097 bill that has been passed on to Rules 2 for review. There is still a provision in the bill that any meeting(s) with the Governor and WDFW will not be subject to the open meeting law.

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1097-S.pdf

That substitute moved the bill from hunting to anything WDFW does. There goes any fish tranparency.

So it's getting worse with each draft? Solid work our Leg. Is doing for its citizens.

Can you explain? I read it exactly the opposite. The language now says:

The governing body of a tribe may request a consultation with the governor and the fish and wildlife commission regarding any specific fish and wildlife department policy, rule, or action that affects tribal hunting activities.


How is for ANYTHING WDFW does? Seems specific to hunting to me. It does have this though:

Any meeting convened pursuant to this section is not subject to the requirements of the open public meetings act, chapter 42.30 RCW.

Because of the opening sentence this seems to still keep it to hunting.

You're right. I mis-read it. But, it does say "any" action that affects hunting. That would include hiring, firing, promotion. It would also include budgeting.

I heard, and have no way to confirm it, that the Tribes want hunting rights expanded to statewide (no U&A/ceded area) and also to private land. I think their argument is that by destroying habitat through development, which reduces their hunting opportunity, the State violated the Treaty.

I think that they would have a hard time pushing that hunting opportunities are diminishing. More and more the tribes themselves are buying up huge chunks of timberland. The amount owned by the Muckleshoot tribe is amazing. The Makah tribe is buying up huge chunks, as are many other tribes. The west side traditionally had less animals in the past due to the thick canopy. I would not be surprised if todays game levels exceed those pre-treaty on the west side. On the east side, it probably is a different story, but I don't think they would be the ones pushing it, as it would potentially degrade their hunting rights.

It is evidently clear that the Tribes are systematically excluding all public involvement and oversight in all areas of our government. As we sit by and argue semantics the Tribes take the mountain a pebble at a time..

It's clear the Tribes have an agenda. To take and keep taking until we, the citizens have lost all our rights.

Interesting that this bill specifically makes public oversight in NOF proceedings impossible at exactly the same time we have initiated a major movement to open the fisheries NOF meetings. A simple back door move.

The Tribes say they are a sovereign government, and therefore not subject to Washington State Law. But they buy politicians to push through laws that take away the rights of Washington State Citizens.

FF02,

I guess the good news is that there isn’t a companion bill in the state senate but Chair Sen. Pearson on the Natural Resource committee does have a workshop hearing Feb. 2 at 1:30PM regarding government to government relations. Like HB 1097 there will be tribal members on a panel testifying and got a phone call that there will be 2 state government agencies presenting testimony this time around --- testimony from the public will not be taken.

The attorney general office is pursuing larger fines for open meeting act violations through HB 2353 and companion SB 6171.

With a small sampling of email responses, Rep. Blake among others is opposed to HB 1097 for various reasons.

HB 1097 is heading to second reading in the Senate. This is the bill that lets the tribes convene a meeting with the Gov and Commission/Director about hunting issues and exempts the meeting from the Open Meeting rules for the state.

Mar 9
First reading, referred to Natural Resources & Parks. (View Original Bill)
Mar 21 Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks at 1:30 PM. (Committee Materials)
Mar 28
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks at 1:30 PM. (Committee Materials)
NRP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s). (Majority Report)
Mar 29
Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.


http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1097-S.pdf