WA People
BILL · 2017–18 SESSION

HB 1460: Transfer of water rights

Redesigning the transfer of water rights, including the statutory process of relinquishment.

Summary

  • Establishes a rebuttable presumption that, in the absence of conclusive information, a water right holder has applied the water to a beneficial use so as to retain the water right.
  • Directs that relinquished water rights revert to the Trust Water Rights Program and be made available for a variety of uses on a temporary basis.
  • Prohibits the Department of Ecology (Ecology) from requiring the installation of new metering as part of a transfer, sale, or partial sale or transfer of a water right.
  • Requires Ecology to rely on existing water use data in order to determine whether a water rights transfer can be made without damaging existing water rights.
  • Restricts Ecology's retention of annual consumptive use data.
  • Exempts annual consumptive use data from disclosure under the Public Records Act.

From the House Bill Analysis 2017 (HB 1460), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗

Did not pass Did not pass · died in committee
  1. IntroducedJan 20, 2017
  2. Out of committeestopped here
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. Governor
  6. Law
Prime sponsor
Vincent Buys (R-42)
Introduced
January 20, 2017 in the House
Last action
January 8, 2018
Budget
Has a fiscal note

AN ACT Relating to redesigning the transfer of water rights, including the statutory process of relinquishment;

Sponsors

Prime sponsor: Vincent Buys (R-42)

5 co-sponsors (0 Democrats, 5 Republicans)

David Taylor R-15Luanne Van Werven R-42Tom Dent R-13Dave Hayes R-10Cary Condotta R-12

Votes

No recorded floor votes. This measure never reached a floor vote.

History

  1. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  2. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  3. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  4. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  5. First reading, referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report).

HB 1460 in other sessions

Bill numbers restart every two years, so the same number is a different bill in each session.

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