Fish and wildlife commission

AN ACT Relating to adding tribal members to the fish and wildlife 1
commission; and amending RCW 77.04.030, 77.04.040, and 77.04.060.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 77.04.030 and 2001 c 155 s 1 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1) The fish and wildlife commission consists of ((nine)) 13 6
members and four alternate members.7
(a) Nine members must be registered voters of the state. In 8
January of each odd-numbered year, the governor shall appoint with 9
the advice and consent of the senate three registered voters to the 10
commission to serve for terms of six years from that January or until 11
their successors are appointed and qualified. If a vacancy occurs on 12
the commission prior to the expiration of a term, the governor shall 13
appoint a registered voter within ((sixty)) 60 days to complete the 14
term. Three members shall be residents of that portion of the state 15
lying east of the summit of the Cascade mountains, and three shall be 16
residents of that portion of the state lying west of the summit of 17
the Cascade mountains. Three additional members shall be appointed at 18
large. No two members may be residents of the same county. Persons 19
eligible for appointment as members of the commission under this 20
subsection (1)(a) shall have general knowledge of the habits and 21
H-2974.1
HOUSE BILL 2578
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Lekanoff, Reed, Pollet, Parshley, Santos, Obras,
Peterson, Fosse, Thomas, Cortes, Scott, Ryu, Timmons, and Salahuddin
Read first time 01/20/26. Referred to Committee on Agriculture &
Natural Resources.
p. 1 HB 2578
distribution of fish and wildlife and shall not hold another state, 1
county, or municipal elective or appointive office.2
(b)(i) Four additional members must be elected chairs, or elected 3
to an equivalent executive office, of a federally recognized Indian 4
tribe whose traditional lands and territories include parts of 5
Washington. Two members must be from tribes located east of the 6
summit of the Cascade mountains, and two members must be from tribes 7
located west of the summit of the Cascade mountains. In January of 8
each odd-numbered year, the governor shall appoint, with the advice 9
and consent of the senate, two elected tribal chairs to the 10
commission to serve for terms of four years from that January or 11
until their successors are appointed and qualified. If a vacancy 12
occurs prior to the expiration of a term, the governor shall appoint 13
a qualified tribal chair within 60 days to complete the term, and an 14
alternate member appointed pursuant to (b)(ii) of this subsection 15
shall serve as commissioner until a new qualified chair is appointed. 16
If a member appointed under this subsection (1)(b)(i) no longer 17
serves as an elected chair or equivalent executive office for any 18
reason, the seat is considered vacant.19
(ii) Four alternate members must be elected to a tribal council, 20
or an equivalent legislative body, of a federally recognized Indian 21
tribe whose traditional lands and territories include parts of 22
Washington to serve in the absence of a member appointed under (b)(i) 23
of this subsection. Two alternate members must be from tribes located 24
east of the summit of the Cascade mountains, and two alternate 25
members must be from tribes located west of the summit of the Cascade 26
mountains. In January of each odd-numbered year, the governor shall 27
appoint, with the advice and consent of the senate, alternate members 28
for terms of four years from that January or until their successors 29
are appointed and qualified. If a vacancy occurs prior to the 30
expiration of a term, the governor shall appoint a qualified elected 31
tribal councilmember within 60 days to complete the term. If an 32
alternate appointed under this subsection (1)(b)(ii) no longer serves 33
on a tribal council or equivalent tribal legislative office for any 34
reason, the position shall be considered vacant.35
(iii) When acting in the role of commissioner, members appointed 36
under this subsection (1)(b) shall represent the interests of all 37
federally recognized tribes whose traditional lands and territories 38
included parts of Washington.39
p. 2 HB 2578
(2) The legal office of the commission is at the administrative 1
office of the department in Olympia. 2
Sec. 2. RCW 77.04.040 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 2 s 3 are each 3
amended to read as follows: 4
((Persons eligible for appointment as members of the commission 5
shall have general knowledge of the habits and distribution of fish 6
and wildlife and shall not hold another state, county, or municipal 7
elective or appointive office. )) In making ((these)) all appointments 8
to the commission , the governor shall seek to maintain a balance 9
reflecting all aspects of fish and wildlife, including representation 10
recommended by organized groups representing sportfishers, commercial 11
fishers, hunters, private landowners, federally recognized tribes, 12
and environmentalists. Persons eligible for appointment as fish and 13
wildlife commissioners shall comply with the provisions of chapters 14
42.52 and ((42.17)) 42.56 RCW. 15
Sec. 3. RCW 77.04.060 and 2013 c 23 s 238 are each amended to 16
read as follows: 17
The commission shall hold at least one regular meeting during the 18
first two months of each calendar quarter, and special meetings when 19
called by the chair and by ((five)) seven members. ((Five)) Seven 20
members constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.21
The commission at a meeting in each odd-numbered year shall elect 22
one of its members as chair and another member as vice chair, each of 23
whom shall serve for a term of two years or until a successor is 24
elected and qualified. 25
Members of the commission shall be compensated in accordance with 26
RCW 43.03.250. In addition, members are allowed their travel expenses 27
incurred while absent from their usual places of residence in 28
accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. 29
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p. 3 HB 2578