Board of natural resources

AN ACT Relating to adding a tribal member to the board of natural 1
resources; amending RCW 43.30.205; and creating a new section.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that inclusion of a 4
tribal member on the board of natural resources will provide crucial 5
perspective and expertise that will be invaluable as it makes 6
decisions that serve the public.7
Sec. 2. RCW 43.30.205 and 2025 c 94 s 1 are each amended to read 8
as follows: 9
(1) The board shall consist of ((six)) seven members:10
(a) The governor or the governor's designee; 11
(b) The superintendent of public instruction or the 12
superintendent's designee from the office of the superintendent of 13
public instruction; 14
(c) The commissioner; 15
(d) The director of the University of Washington school of forest 16
resources; 17
(e) The dean of the Washington State University college of 18
agricultural, human, and natural resource sciences; ((and))19
Z-0482.1
SENATE BILL 5838
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Kauffman, Saldaña, Alvarado, Conway, Frame, Hasegawa,
Liias, Lovelett, Nobles, Pedersen, Riccelli, Shewmake, Stanford,
Trudeau, Valdez, and C. Wilson; by request of Department of Natural
Resources
Prefiled 12/05/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Agriculture & Natural Resources.
p. 1 SB 5838
(f) A representative of those counties that contain state 1
forestlands acquired or transferred under RCW 79.22.010, 79.22.040, 2
and 79.22.020; and3
(g) A tribal representative. 4
(2)(a) The county representative on the board shall be selected 5
by the legislative authorities of those counties that contain state 6
forestlands acquired or transferred under RCW 79.22.010, 79.22.040, 7
and 79.22.020. In the selection of the county representative, each 8
participating county shall have one vote. The Washington state 9
association of counties shall convene a meeting for the purpose of 10
making the selection and shall notify the board of the selection.11
(b) The county representative must be a duly elected member of a 12
county legislative authority who shall serve a term of four years 13
unless the representative should leave office for any reason. The 14
initial term shall begin on July 1, 1986. 15
(3)(a) The tribal representative shall be appointed by the 16
governor and must be a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe 17
who shall serve a term of four years unless the representative should 18
leave office for any reason. The initial term shall begin on July 1, 19
2026.20
(b) When appointing a tribal representative, the governor shall 21
solicit and consider nominees from each of the federally recognized 22
tribes in Washington state. The governor shall collaborate with 23
federally recognized tribes on the selection of the tribal 24
representative.25
--- END ---
p. 2 SB 5838