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Committee hears four-year extension of timber purchase reporting to support stumpage tables
Summary
House Bill 1389 would extend until Sept. 30, 2029 the requirement that timber purchasers report large sales to the Department of Revenue so DOR can update stumpage value tables used to calculate timber excise taxes; industry and DOR support extension as a routine, low-impact administrative matter.
Committee staff briefed members Feb. 21 on House Bill 1389, a measure to extend until Sept. 30, 2029 a current reporting requirement that timber purchasers submit details of larger timber sales to the Department of Revenue.
The timber-purchase reports contain sales price, acreage and volume by species and log grade; DOR uses the data to update stumpage value tables that help calculate the timber excise tax for larger harvesters. The reporting requirement currently expires Sept. 30, 2025; the bill would extend the deadline four years.
Tom Davis of the Washington Forest Protection Association and Representative Pam Birnbaum explained the reporting regime as a long-standing, cooperative arrangement between industry and DOR. Witnesses said the extension is routine, preserves the data stream DOR uses to value timber for tax purposes and does not materially change tax liability; the fiscal note described minimal revenue impact.
The committee received no opposition testimony and closed the hearing on the bill without taking final action during the Feb. 21 session.
