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Washington bill would add tribal voting member to Board of Natural Resources
Summary
Senate Bill 5838 would require the governor to appoint a tribal representative to the Board of Natural Resources beginning July 1, 2026; supporters say it brings indigenous knowledge and a voting voice, while county officials and timber interests raised fiduciary and consultation concerns.
Senate Bill 5838 would add a seventh, voting member to Washington’s Board of Natural Resources, requiring the governor to appoint a representative who is a member of a federally recognized tribe and to consult statewide tribal organizations in the selection process.
Sen. Claudia Kauffman, the bill’s prime sponsor, introduced the proposal during the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee hearing. "This is about equity," Kauffman said, arguing that tribal leadership, experience and traditional ecological knowledge should be represented "at the highest level of decision making." She said the appointee would be selected through an open, collaborative nomination process.
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