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February 19, 2003
Nonresident hunting fee boost urged
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- The Senate Travel Committee on Tuesday recommended a bill that would increase certain nonresident hunting fees, one of four measures that combined would raise more than $6 million a year for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
The department receives no money from the state General Fund but is funded through hunting and fishing license sales, federal grants and interest from trust funds.
Without the legislation, the department will fall about $2.5 million into the hole in fiscal 2003 and $5 million two years later, agency officials have said.
The Travel Committee voted 4-1 in favor of House Bill 34, with Sen. Keith Goodenough, D-Casper, casting the lone dissenting vote.
The measure, headed to the Senate floor for further debate, would raise fees for nonresident elk licenses from $200 to $400 and nonresident deer and antelope licenses from $100 to $200.
Residents pay $22 for an antelope license, $25 for deer and $35 for elk.
Goodenough said it was a fairness issue and that as nonresident fees climb far higher than resident fees, the chances increase of the state being sued.
"I see us where more and more licenses are moving up to the $800 range," he said.
HB34 is expected to raise an extra $1.5 million a year for Game and Fish.
The committee also recommended HB206, which would create a $250 lifetime game bird and small game license for residents.
The measure is not expected to boost revenue. Any income from purchases of lifetime licenses is expected to be offset by a decline in sales of yearly licenses.
The Travel Committee postponed a vote on HB30, which would increase commissions that retailers collect for sales of hunting and fishing licenses.
The measure would also allow retailers to add the commission to the cost of a license, which would mean Game and Fish would receive the full amount of license fees instead of having selling agents subtract their commissions from those fees and passing the rest on to the department.
If the bill passes, the department would earn another $350,000 a year.
Committee members held off a vote because they wanted to first look at HB36, which would increase hunting and license fees across the board by 20 percent, which would raise about $4 million a year for the department. That bill will be debated next week.
Another measure, HB73, would raise $870,000 more a year by allowing nonresident hunters to pay a fee to increase their chances of landing deer, elk and antelope licenses. The pool of licenses available each year to nonresidents would remain the same.
That bill is awaiting debate in the Senate. All of the measures have already been approved by the House.
Nonresident hunting fee boost urged
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- The Senate Travel Committee on Tuesday recommended a bill that would increase certain nonresident hunting fees, one of four measures that combined would raise more than $6 million a year for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
The department receives no money from the state General Fund but is funded through hunting and fishing license sales, federal grants and interest from trust funds.
Without the legislation, the department will fall about $2.5 million into the hole in fiscal 2003 and $5 million two years later, agency officials have said.
The Travel Committee voted 4-1 in favor of House Bill 34, with Sen. Keith Goodenough, D-Casper, casting the lone dissenting vote.
The measure, headed to the Senate floor for further debate, would raise fees for nonresident elk licenses from $200 to $400 and nonresident deer and antelope licenses from $100 to $200.
Residents pay $22 for an antelope license, $25 for deer and $35 for elk.
Goodenough said it was a fairness issue and that as nonresident fees climb far higher than resident fees, the chances increase of the state being sued.
"I see us where more and more licenses are moving up to the $800 range," he said.
HB34 is expected to raise an extra $1.5 million a year for Game and Fish.
The committee also recommended HB206, which would create a $250 lifetime game bird and small game license for residents.
The measure is not expected to boost revenue. Any income from purchases of lifetime licenses is expected to be offset by a decline in sales of yearly licenses.
The Travel Committee postponed a vote on HB30, which would increase commissions that retailers collect for sales of hunting and fishing licenses.
The measure would also allow retailers to add the commission to the cost of a license, which would mean Game and Fish would receive the full amount of license fees instead of having selling agents subtract their commissions from those fees and passing the rest on to the department.
If the bill passes, the department would earn another $350,000 a year.
Committee members held off a vote because they wanted to first look at HB36, which would increase hunting and license fees across the board by 20 percent, which would raise about $4 million a year for the department. That bill will be debated next week.
Another measure, HB73, would raise $870,000 more a year by allowing nonresident hunters to pay a fee to increase their chances of landing deer, elk and antelope licenses. The pool of licenses available each year to nonresidents would remain the same.
That bill is awaiting debate in the Senate. All of the measures have already been approved by the House.
