Committee hears broad public support for Discover Pass fee increase, sharp disagreement over revenue split

The House Appropriations Committee on a public hearing on engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5390 heard wide agreement that the Discover Pass fee should rise from $30 to $45, but sharp opposition over a proposal to raise the revenue threshold that would trigger equal sharing among the three recipient agencies.

Dan Jones, staff to the committee, outlined the bill’s mechanics: the Discover Pass provides access to lands managed by the State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Current law directs pass revenue first into the Recreational Access Pass account and then distributes 84% to a state parks account, 8% to WDFW and 8% to DNR; if revenue exceeds $71,000,000 in a biennium, the amount above that is divided evenly among the three agencies. Jones said the bill would increase the annual pass from $30 to $45, raise the equal‑split threshold from $71 million to $100 million, make the lifetime disabled‑veteran pass equivalent across all three agencies, and add a third space for license plate numbers on the pass. The fiscal note projects roughly $15 million in additional revenue in the 2025–27…