But the livid House sponsor — powerful Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, a fellow Democrat — vowed to revive the fee repeal as part of the upcoming budget talks. Both House and Senate budget chairwomen and Gov. Christine Gregoire have endorsed the idea of ending the unpopular three-year-old park fee.

Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, adjourned the final scheduled meeting of the Senate Natural Resources, Ocean and Recreation Committee without acting on Kessler's repeal bill.

Kessler's measure, which she calls her personal top priority of the session, sailed through the House 94-2 earlier this month. She was steaming after getting word that Jacobsen had blocked the bill. He promised to allow a vote, she said.

"He lied to me. He totally lied," she said. "I have total support for this bill and Jacobsen killed it. I'm disappointed, but there's more than one way to skin a cat."

The Hoquiam lawmaker, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, said she probably will request a budget proviso that bans state parks from collecting a day-use fee for the next year. The budget will have about $3 million in general tax money to replace the lost revenue. Lawmakers then would have to revisit the issue next year and find a permanent revenue source for park support, she said.

Another route she didn't mention is that her bill can be declared necessary to implement the budget and could be pulled directly to the Senate floor from committee.

Jacobsen denied that he lied to Kessler.

"She never asked me to pass the bill. She said she wanted it and I nodded. Nodded as in 'I understand.' I never said I would have a vote."

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