2012 Revised Code of Washington
Title 77 - FISH AND WILDLIFE (Formerly: Game and game fish)
77.12 Powers and duties.
77.12.203 In lieu payments authorized -- Procedure -- Game lands defined.

RCW 77.12.203 In lieu payments authorized — Procedure — Game lands defined.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section and notwithstanding RCW 84.36.010 or other statutes to the contrary, the director shall pay by April 30th of each year on game lands in each county, if requested by an election under RCW 77.12.201, an amount in lieu of real property taxes equal to that amount paid on similar parcels of open space land taxable under chapter 84.34 RCW or the greater of seventy cents per acre per year or the amount paid in 1984 plus an additional amount for control of noxious weeds equal to that which would be paid if such lands were privately owned. This amount shall not be assessed or paid on department buildings, structures, facilities, game farms, fish hatcheries, tidelands, or public fishing areas of less than one hundred acres.

     (2) "Game lands," as used in this section and RCW 77.12.201, means those tracts one hundred acres or larger owned in fee by the department and used for wildlife habitat and public recreational purposes. All lands purchased for wildlife habitat, public access or recreation purposes with federal funds in the Snake River drainage basin shall be considered game lands regardless of acreage.

     (3) This section shall not apply to lands transferred after April 23, 1990, to the department from other state agencies.

     (4) The county shall distribute the amount received under this section in lieu of real property taxes to all property taxing districts except the state in appropriate tax code areas the same way it would distribute local property taxes from private property. The county shall distribute the amount received under this section for weed control to the appropriate weed district.

     (5) For the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium, the director shall pay by April 30th of each year on game lands in each county, if requested by an election under RCW 77.12.201, an amount in lieu of real property taxes and shall be distributed as follows:

County

Adams . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,909

Asotin . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,123

Chelan . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,757

Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,795

Ferry . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,781

Garfield . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,840

Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,443

Grays Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,264

Kittitas . . . . . . . . . . . . 143,974

Klickitat . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,906

Lincoln . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,535

Okanogan . . . . . . . . . . . . 151,402

Pend Oreille . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,309

Yakima . . . . . . . . . . . . 126,225

These amounts shall not be assessed or paid on department buildings, structures, facilities, game farms, fish hatcheries, tidelands, or public fishing areas of less than one hundred acres.

[2012 2nd sp.s. c 7 § 924; 2005 c 303 § 14; 1990 1st ex.s. c 15 § 11; 1984 c 214 § 2; 1980 c 78 § 37; 1965 ex.s. c 97 § 3.]

Notes:

Effective date -- 2012 2nd sp.s. c 7: See note following RCW 2.68.020.      Effective date -- 2005 c 303 §§ 1-14: See note following RCW 79A.15.010.      Limitations -- 1990 1st ex.s. c 15: "Amounts saved by operation of section 11 of this act during the 1989-91 fiscal biennium may be used only for financing capital facilities." [1990 1st ex.s. c 15 § 12.]      Severability -- 1990 1st ex.s. c 15: See note following RCW 43.99H.010.      Effective date -- 1984 c 214: See note following RCW 77.12.201.      Effective date -- Intent, construction -- Savings -- Severability -- 1980 c 78: See notes following RCW 77.04.010.