Legislative Information

BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN OF WASHINGTON

Legislative Day 2025 has not been scheduled yet.  All the info below is from this past event.

LEGISLATIVE FOCUS IN OLYMPIA

1. REVENUE SOURCES (CAPITAL AND OPERATING FUNDING BILLS)
   1. RECREATION AND CONSERVATION MANAGED GRANT (RCO) PROGRAMS
      1. Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities Program (NOVA) - Trails (7 million/biennium)
      2. Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities Program (NOVA) - Education (2.3 million/biennium)

• Recreational Trails Program (RTP) – (3.6 million/biennium)

1. Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) Recreation – (45 million/biennium)

1. OTHER RCO GRANT PROGRAMS
   1. Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF-Stateside) – (14 million/biennium)
   2. Local Parks Maintenance Grants (LPM) – (5 million/biennium)
   3. Planning for Recreational Access (PRA) – (2.3 million/biennium)
   4. No Child Left Inside (NCLI) – (4.5 million/biennium)

Of the RCO grants above, only RTP grants can be applied for by BCHW and recreation non-profits (though motorized can apply for some NOVA funding).  Others are agency grants and usually require the agency to have a recreation plan.   NOVA also has a direct allocation to DNR and WDFW for agency needs.

NOVA and RTP are grant programs for backcountry trails.   NOVA comes from State gas tax while RTP comes from Federal gas tax.   Both are endangered by the drop in gas usage and need to address during Road Usage Charge (RUC) discussions regarding electric vehicles.

WWRP grants pay for development of large multi-modal trail systems (rail-trail type) such as the Olympic Discovery Trail, Palouse to Cascades Trail, Willapa Hills Trail, and Columbia Plateau Trai.

LWCF-Stateside is used for local recreation facilities such as athletic fields.   However, the Federal side component pays for Legacy Trails grants (not RCO) such as our Pasayten grant.   LWCF-Stateside also pays for the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)

1. DIRECT APPROPRIATIONS (decided upon each biennium by the Legislature)
   1. OPERATING – DNR, WDFW, State Parks (WSP)
   2. CAPITAL – DNR, WDFW, State Parks (WSP)

2. POLICY BILLS (BILLS THAT DON’T START IN THE REVENUE COMMITTEES (HOUSE FINANCE/CAPITAL AND SENATE WAYS & MEANS))
   1. Bills that originate in policy committees such as the Natural Resource Committees. Selective bills that affect public lands recreation management and affect horse use.   Examples are recreational liability laws, mechanized uses such as e-bikes, restrictions on use, campground and trail management, user fees, etc.

ENGAGING WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS

1. ALWAYS BE RESPECTFUL. The legislator who does not share your belief on one issue may be your ally with the next.    Remember that the history of support for Recreation is that it comes from all legislators regardless of political party.    Divisions in focus are probably more by urban/rural then by party affiliation.
2. HAVE FUN. The primary purpose of the BCHW Legislative Program is to engage with our representatives in Olympia and to let them know that we are there as adventurous and responsible pack and saddle stock users of our public lands    The dialog often continues year around in some manner, not just during the session.   Everyone loves horses and mules.   Anyone who doesn’t is simply misinformed.

For Washington State issues that affect our Public Lands Click Here

FOR A LIST OF LAST YEARS IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE ISSUES CLICK HERE

Email our BCHW Legislative Chair, Jeff Chapman, with any of your questions!  legislative@bchw.org