Senate Passes Discover Pass Transferability Bill

UPDATE March 7, 2012:  Just moments ago, the State House passed the Senate-amended HB 2373 by a 60-37-1 vote. It is on its way to the Governor for signature!

Today, the state Senate passed a striking amendment that made changes to the House-passed Discover Pass legislation - inching the transferability bill closer to enactment. The newly engrossed and amended HB 2373 has the following provisions:

• Makes the Discover Pass transferable between two vehicles, retroactive immediately;
• Adds a $50, universally transferable Discover Pass;
• Lets Discover Pass purchasers choose a start date for their Discover Pass;
• Requires state land agencies to find consistent recreational policies where inconsistencies exist and to report back to the legislature by December 31, 2012 on plans and progress.

These provisions would be enacted upon being signed by the governor. There are several other provisions as well, but these are the ones that should interest hikers the most. WTA's one disappointment with the striking amendment is that it does not fix the requirement that day-use Sno-Park permit holders also carry a Discover Pass.

HB 2373 passed 30-17 on a very bipartisan vote. Since this legislation is different from the bill that passed the House, the process around HB 2373 is not over. The House has to take up the changes that were made by the Senate and decide if they can concur with them or if the differences are severe enough that they will have to be taken up in a House-Senate conference.

WTA has been involved with this Discover Pass legislation since last fall. When State Parks, DNR and Fish and Wildlife began to plan fixes to the Discover Pass, they came to WTA to get a sense of what our members wanted, and their requested legislation has reflected what we told them.

Your help and feedback are instrumental to everything we do in Olympia. Thank you for your continued support of WTA and our advocacy work!