In May, Washington Governor Gary Locke vetoed legislation that would have overturned an initiative approved by voters in 2000 banning the use of body-gripping traps to capture animals.
Timber companies and others in Washington complain they cannot control pests such as mountain beavers without the use of body-gripping traps. Locke had said that he supported more limited legislation that would have specifically allow the use of body-gripping traps in dealing with pest animals, but that the final version that passed the legislature went too far in completely overturning the voter-approved initiative.
In a prepared statement announcing his veto, Locke said,
Early this session, I supported legislation that would have addressed the specific problems associated with Initiative 713. This legislation would have allowed the use of traps on moles, gophers and mountain beavers, and provided additional protections for livestock. At that time, I also indicated my opposition to legislation that would repeal the core principles underlying the initiative. Whenever possible, improvements to address unintended consequences of an initiative should be pursued before consideration of a repeal. Because this bill effectively repeals the initiative, even though an alternative legislative solution exists to address the problems of the initiative, I have vetoed the bill in its entirety.
We need to put this issue behind us by looking for ways we can creatively implement solutions, rather than perpetuate problems. With this message, I am requesting members of the Fish and Wildlife Commission to closely oversee DFW?s implementation of Initiative 713, consistent with its spirit and intent. Specifically, I would like the Commission to recommend changes to help protect livestock and reduce damage to public property, and to conduct an educational outreach program around the state that explains the availability of the special permit program allowed under Initiative 713.
The full text of the bill that Locke vetoed can be found here.
Sources:
Gov. Gary Locke Vetoes Body-gripping Traps Legislation. Press Release, Office of Governor Gary Locke, May 20, 2003.