Substitute House Bill 2199 reenacts and amends RCW 79.100.010 to change and clarify statutory definitions related to abandoned and derelict vessels, and related terms such as "ship," "vessel," "owner," "aquatic lands," "authorized public entity," and "department." This is a modification of existing law (an amendment and reenactment of the cited statute), not the creation of an unrelated new chapter. Key definitional changes provided include a revised "abandoned vessel" definition that applies when a vessel is left in the same area without consent or contrary to rules for more than 30 consecutive days or more than 90 days in any 365-day period, with "same area" defined as within a five-mile radius of a prior mooring or anchoring on aquatic lands. "Derelict vessel" is defined to include vessels left contrary to RCW 79.02.300 or local rules, left on private property without authorization, left for seven consecutive days if sunk or in danger of sinking, obstructing a waterway, or endangering life or property, or vessels out of compliance with registration under RCW 88.02.550 for at least two full annual registration periods and prioritized for removal. The bill also sets a 200-foot length cutoff distinguishing "ship" (over 200 feet) from "vessel" (200 feet or less) and expressly includes trailers, attached floats, or debris in the vessel definition. Agencies and entities identified as affected or authorized under these definitions include the Department of Natural Resources (the "department"), Department of Fish and Wildlife, Parks and Recreation Commission, metropolitan park districts, port districts, and cities, towns, and counties with ownership, management, or jurisdiction over aquatic lands, as well as owners, managers, and lessees of aquatic lands and vessel owners. The bill was read in the House on 02/04/26, passed the House on February 11, 2026 (95-0), passed the Senate on February 28, 2026 (48-0), and originated in the 69th Legislature, 2026 Regular Session. The provided facts cover only the reenacted and amended definitions section and the certification/passage history. Implementation details, enforcement procedures, funding, penalties, or any other changes elsewhere in chapter 79.100 or related statutes are not included in the extracted material and therefore cannot be described here.

If enacted, the bill sets clearer, measurable triggers for when a boat is treated as abandoned or derelict by giving specific time windows (abandoned after more than 30 consecutive days or more than 90 days in a year within a five‑mile area; derelict if left seven days and sunk/obstructing/endangering, or if registration lapses for two full years) and by clarifying who counts as an owner and what counts as a vessel or ship. That makes it more likely public agencies that manage aquatic lands will identify and prioritize more boats for removal under those defined conditions, and makes it easier to classify craft as abandoned or derelict without needing additional fact‑finding about vague terms. The groups most affected are the department of natural resources and other authorized public entities (fish and wildlife, parks, ports, metropolitan park districts, cities, towns, counties) because they will have clearer legal thresholds to act on and likely more decisions and potential costs tied to removals or management. Vessel owners and owners/managers/lessees of aquatic lands face greater risk that unattended or unregistered boats will be removed or otherwise dealt with under the new definitions. The bill text provided does not include the operational details — such as who pays for removals, exact removal procedures, enforcement steps, or penalties — so how agencies will implement these changes and how costs will be allocated remains unclear.