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SB6097 • 2026
Adding federally recognized Indian tribes to the list of entities that may participate in the conservation futures program.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Conservation futures/tribes
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2390 • Orcutt
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6097-S AMH ORCU SMIL 099 1 - Official Print By Representative Orcutt 6097-S AMH ORCU SMIL 099 SSB 6097 - H AMD 2390 NOT CONSIDERED 03/12/2026 On page 3, after line 8, insert the following: "NEW SECTION.
1st substitute bill substituted.
Conservation futures/tribes
AN ACT Relating to adding federally recognized Indian tribes to 1 the list of entities that may participate in the conservation futures 2 program; amending RCW 84.34.210 and 84.34.220; and adding a new 3 section to chapter 84.34 RCW. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5 Sec. 1. RCW 84.34.210 and 1993 c 248 s 1 are each amended to 6 read as follows: 7 Any county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan 8 municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit 9 historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or 10 nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are 11 defined in RCW 84.34.250, may acquire by purchase, gift, grant, 12 bequest, devise, lease, or otherwise, except by eminent domain, the 13 fee simple or any lesser interest, development right, easement, 14 covenant, or other contractual right necessary to protect, preserve, 15 maintain, improve, restore, limit the future use of, or otherwise 16 conserve, selected open space land, farm and agricultural land, and 17 timberland as such are defined in chapter 84.34 RCW for public use or 18 enjoyment. Among interests that may be so acquired are mineral 19 rights. Any county, city, town, metropolitan park district, 20 metropolitan municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian 21 S-3876.1 SENATE BILL 6097 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senators Chapman, Conway, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Kauffman, Liias, Nobles, Riccelli, Stanford, Trudeau, and Valdez Read first time 01/13/26. Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources. p. 1 SB 6097 tribe, nonprofit historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 1 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or 2 association, as such are defined in RCW 84.34.250, may acquire such 3 property for the purpose of conveying or leasing the property back to 4 its original owner or other person under such covenants or other 5 contractual arrangements as will limit the future use of the property 6 in accordance with the purposes of chapter 243, Laws of 1971 ex. 7 sess. 8 Sec. 2. RCW 84.34.220 and 1993 c 248 s 2 are each amended to 9 read as follows: 10 In accordance with the authority granted in RCW 84.34.210, a 11 county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan 12 municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit 13 historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or 14 nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are 15 defined in RCW 84.34.250, may specifically purchase or otherwise 16 acquire, except by eminent domain, rights in perpetuity to future 17 development of any open space land, farm and agricultural land, and 18 timberland which are so designated under the provisions of chapter 19 84.34 RCW and taxed at current use assessment as provided by that 20 chapter. For the purposes of chapter 243, Laws of 1971 ex. sess., 21 such developmental rights shall be termed "conservation futures". The 22 private owner may retain the right to continue any existing open 23 space use of the land, and to develop any other open space use, but, 24 under the terms of purchase of conservation futures, the county, 25 city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal 26 corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic 27 preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit 28 nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in 29 RCW 84.34.250, may forbid or restrict building thereon, or may 30 require that improvements cannot be made without county, city, town, 31 metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal corporation, 32 federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic preservation 33 corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature 34 conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in RCW 35 84.34.250, permission. The land may be alienated or sold and used as 36 formerly by the new owner, subject to the terms of the agreement made 37 by the county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan 38 municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit 39 p. 2 SB 6097 historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or 1 nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are 2 defined in RCW 84.34.250, with the original owner. 3 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 84.34 4 RCW to read as follows: 5 Nothing in this chapter may be interpreted, construed, or applied 6 in a way that decreases, diminishes, or otherwise impairs the treaty 7 rights of federally recognized Indian tribes. 8 --- END --- p. 3 SB 6097