Rep. Kevin Waters bill to assist museums passes committee

Rep. Kevin Waters’ bill to help museums manage unclaimed property moves forward, while two more bills addressing Washington lumber mills and education policies receive public hearings. Photo courtesy Washington State House Republicans

Two others receive public hearings, including one that would benefit Washington lumber mills

A bill from 17th District legislator Rep. Kevin Waters to assist museums with a recurring issue has moved out of committee, and two additional bills from Waters received public hearings.

The House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee unanimously passed House Bill 1731 on Friday, which would make it easier for museums to notify item owners that they have unclaimed property. Currently, museums and societies use publications in newspapers and other older methods of contact, which the public doesn’t often see. This would allow them to contact property owners via email, phone, or text and document their contact.

“This legislation would help museums clear space, which is often the biggest issue they face,” said Waters, R-Stevenson. “It would also help the people who have donated their items reclaim them. So, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

Next up for HB 1731 would be a vote on the House floor.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the House Capital Budget Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1726. This legislation would significantly impact the Washington timber industry, specifically lumber mills. Under HB 1726, whenever the state, a school district, or a municipality has a construction project that uses more than $500,000 of state money, they would have to buy lumber and wood products from Washington mills first.

If project managers could not source the lumber from a Washington mill, they would have to try Oregon next, and if not available there, then the rest of the country, and lastly, other countries.

“This bill would be a major boost to our lumber industry,” said Waters. “Putting our own lumber mills over others around the country just makes sense for Washington. Our mills are an invaluable resource for the Washington construction industry. We definitely need to prioritize them to ensure they remain a viable part of our economy and keep their employees working.”

The bill now waits for a vote by the committee.

Lastly, on Friday, the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1609, which would promote the efficient administration of state education agencies.

The bill would allow the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to use a designee on the Board of Natural Resources. The BNR sets policies to guide how the Washington State Department of Natural Resources manages the state’s lands and resources.

The Board’s responsibilities are to approve trust land timber sales, sales and purchases of trust lands, and setting the sustainable harvest level for forested trust lands. The OSPI is on the BNR because public schools receive money from timber sales off DNR trust lands.

Current law specifies that the Superintendent is a Board member and does not authorize using a designee. HB 1609 would change that and allow the superintendent more time to supervise the administration of school policies and procedures by sending a designee to meetings about timber sales that fund schools in his or her place.

The BNR met 11 times in 2024, and meetings often run for three hours each. Having a designee to attend the BNR meetings would free up significant time for the superintendent.

The bill now awaits a vote by the committee.

Information provided by Washington State House Republicans, houserepublicans.wa.gov