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MARCH
7, 2008
Hello
Policy Enthusiasts!
It
is time for the second installment of the new Government
Affairs E-News. I last wrote to you during the Seattle Boat
Show, when the 2008 Legislative Session had just begun.
Since then, we have been tracking issues important to our
industry, and laying down some framework for future action
in the legislature.
About
the Bills
Many
bills went and died. In fact, they say it takes an average
of three years for a bill to pass the legislature and be
signed into law by the Governor. Legislation that did not
survive this year included a bill on restricting
light pollution, a bill on maritime
historic vessels, and a bill to change Washington's
vesting
laws.
One
piece of legislation that greatly affects boaters did survive,
and that concerned Orca whale protection. House
Bill 2514/Senate
Bill 6395 institutes a State law that limits the interaction
between boaters and whales. It will be an infraction to
get within 300 feet of an Orca whale - including intercepting,
feeding, or failing to disengage the transmission of a vessel
within 300 feet.
NMTA
supports these efforts to protect Puget Sound Orcas. These
mammals are important to the region in so many ways. Yet
how many of you have been cruising in the San Juans, and
suddenly found yourself in the midst of whales?
Earlier
versions of the bill included the word "knowingly"
in the language. Department of Fish and Wildlife, who will
be enforcing the law, felt it would be difficult to prove
a person was "knowingly" within 300 feet of a
whale, so that key word was eliminated early on. Let us
hope that they will truly use wise discretion in their enforcement.
Funding
to boating program nearly cut
In
other news, the funding we won last year with House Bill
1651 (Boating Activities Program) is threatened in this
year's legislative budget.
Last
year, NMTA worked hard to win $2 million for the biennium
for boating programs. This included money to improve marine
law enforcement, funding for a very important Boater Needs
Assessment study, and the creation of a Boating Advisory
Council. Now, the House budget bill takes away $1 million
of this funding.
If
you haven't done so already, please contact your legislators
with this message:
Please
oppose the proposed $1 million dollar cut to the Boating
Activities Program, found in the Senate budget bill. This
money is important to boating programs. Most has already
been committed to boating safety, a very important study,
and a new grant program.
You
can contact them in two ways:
- Send
an email. Click on www.leg.wa.gov.
Then "Find Your District". After you enter your
address, you can click on a legislator and send them an
email. You can also click the box that will send it to
all your legislators.
- Call
the Legislative Hotline. Dial 1-800-562-6000, and
tell them you are calling about the "Proposed Senate
Striking Amendment to SHB 2687". It is the same as
the Senate operating budget.
Vision
So
why do we spend all this time lobbying in Olympia, meeting
with State agencies, and working to divert tax dollars away
from the State's General Fund and into boating?
The
mission of the NMTA is to "grow recreational boating."
If Washington is a great place to boat, if there are no
lines at the boat launch ramp, clean restroom facilities,
and people feel safe on the water, then more people will
want to participate in boating.
That
is the idea I want you to keep in mind as you read these
emails, and as you get involved in various ways in government
affairs. I hope that it will also give you some ideas that
you can pass on to me!
Please
feel free to join us at our next Government Affairs Committee
meeting on April 3, 2008 at NMTA.
You have received this monthly
report because you are an NMTA member with an interest in
Government Affairs or have asked to join this mailing list.
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