wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1930 > Original Bill
The fish and wildlife commission consists of nine registered voters of the state, to be appointed to six-year terms as follows:
Six members, one from each of the six regions of the department, as those regions existed on January 1, 2025, shall be appointed by the counties within each region as follows:
Each county legislative authority within each region must nominate candidates from within their county for appointment to the commission. The county legislative authority may solicit input on candidates from the department's regional director, and from organizations representing all aspects of fish and wildlife.
The counties within each region must select one person to represent their region on the fish and wildlife commission. Each county legislative authority must delegate one member to vote on the final list of nominated candidates.
If a vacancy occurs prior to the expiration of a term, the appropriate counties shall conduct the appointment process established in this subsection (1)(a) to appoint a registered voter within 60 days to complete the term.
The governor shall appoint three additional at-large members with the advice and consent of the senate. At least one at-large member must reside in eastern Washington and at least one at-large member must reside in western Washington. If a vacancy occurs prior to the expiration of a term, the governor shall appoint a registered voter within 60 days to complete the term.
No region may be represented on the commission by more than two members.
To establish staggered terms, initial appointees to the commission shall draw lots to determine:
Three appointees whose initial term ends after two years; and
Three appointees whose initial term ends after four years.
Initial regional appointments made pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section must be made by December 31, 2025, and begin their terms January 1, 2026.
The term of each commissioner appointed as of January 1, 2025, ends on December 31, 2025. Commissioners appointed as of June 1, 2025, are eligible for reappointment pursuant to this section.
The legal office of the commission is at the administrative office of the department in Olympia.
Persons eligible for appointment as members of the commission must have held a hunting or fishing license under either chapter 77.32 or 77.65 RCW, or both, in three of the five years immediately preceding appointment, and shall not hold another state, county, or municipal elective or appointive office. In making these appointments, the governor and appointing counties shall seek to maintain a balance reflecting all aspects of fish and wildlife, including representation recommended by organized groups representing sportfishers, commercial fishers, hunters, private landowners, and environmentalists. Persons eligible for appointment as fish and wildlife commissioners shall comply with the provisions of chapter 42.52 RCW and Title 29B RCW.
Subject to amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commission shall convene in-person meetings in each of the department's six regions, as those regions existed on January 1, 2025, to increase the capacity of participants to represent different interests and constructively communicate and address conflicts.
The department is encouraged to invite commissioners to participate in any department training offered to staff on tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, comanagement, and working with tribal governments. Within existing resources, commissioners may participate in such training.