2015 Revised Code of Washington
Title 77 - FISH AND WILDLIFE
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 must pay by April 30th of each year on game lands, regardless of acreage, 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 may not be assessed or paid on department buildings, structures, facilities, game farms, fish hatcheries, water access sites, tidelands, or public fishing areas.

(2) "Game lands," as used in this section and RCW 77.12.201, means those tracts, regardless of acreage, 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 are considered game lands regardless of acreage.

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

(4) The county must 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 must distribute the amount received under this section for weed control to the appropriate weed district.

(5) For the 2013-2015 and 2015-2017 fiscal biennia, the director must 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 must 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

Kittitas. . . .143,974

Klickitat. . . .21,906

Lincoln. . . .13,535

Okanogan. . . .151,402

Pend Oreille. . . .3,309

Yakima. . . .126,225

These amounts may not be assessed or paid on department buildings, structures, facilities, game farms, fish hatcheries, water access sites, tidelands, or public fishing areas.

[2015 3rd sp.s. c 4 § 971; 2014 c 55 § 1; 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4 § 999; 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 dates—2015 3rd sp.s. c 4: See note following RCW 28B.15.069.

Effective date—2014 c 55: "This act takes effect July 1, 2015." [2014 c 55 § 2.]

Effective dates—2013 2nd sp.s. c 4: See note following RCW 2.68.020.

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.