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Committee advances bill to raise cap on direct sales of state lands materials for habitat work, amid disagreement on cap size
Summary
The committee reported substitute Senate Bill 5,157 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation (8–3) after debate over the statutory dollar cap for direct sales of materials from state lands for habitat restoration.
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee reported substitute Senate Bill 5,157 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation on March 21 by a roll call of 8 ayes and 3 nays.
Committee staff described SB 5,157 as a bill authorizing additional direct sales of valuable materials on state lands to support habitat restoration projects. Lily Smith, staff to the committee, told members there was one amendment listed in the committee bill file by Representative Orcutt and that the amendment would reduce the maximum appraised value of those additional materials from $250,000 to $100,000.
Representative Orcutt withdrew the amendment during executive session and explained the reasons for opposing the bill as presented: "Contrary to what my vote is going to be, my vote is going to be nay without recommendation... I think the policy is an important policy. I do think the 25,000 is a little bit low. I'm a little concerned that the 250,000 is a bit too high... we need to do some continued work on this." Orcutt said they hoped to work with interested members and the Department of Natural Resources to find a better statutory cap.
Representative Nance argued for a yes vote, saying the increased cap could reduce delays in permitting or contracting for habitat restoration projects and "can help us alleviate that bottleneck and better empower the folks on the ground to do this critical work." The committee then conducted a roll-call vote: Reeves (aye); Morgan (aye); Dent (aye); Engel (aye); Birnbaum (aye); McClintock (nay without recommendation); Nance (aye); Orcutt (nay without recommendation); Richards (aye); Schmidt (nay without recommendation); Springer (aye). Staff announced the final tally as 8 ayes, 3 nays, 0 excused or absent.
By that vote, SB 5,157 was reported out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. Committeemembers asked for further work on the statutory dollar cap; the committee did not adopt a substitute cap during the session.
