S.B. 1049 (S-1): FIRST ANALYSIS - SENIOR CITIZEN FISHING DERBY

Senate Bill 1049 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Committee: Hunting, Fishing and Forestry

Date Completed: 6-2-98

RATIONALE

A fishing derby is a fishing contest in which participants compete to see who can catch the most fish, the heaviest fish, the longest fish, or any other category. Depending on the derby, the winners may receive cash awards, prizes, certificates, or other kinds of special recognition. Further, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) currently sponsors fishing events to educate adults and children about fishing techniques, equipments, rules and regulations, and ethics. Fishing derbies and fishing events attempt to provide and foster interest in the sport of fishing for the young and old. Some people believe that an annual senior citizen fishing derby and senior citizen involvement in youth fishing derbies, Big Brother and Big Sister fishing derbies, and fishing derbies for the mentally disabled would help provide positive opportunities and increase fishing interests.

CONTENT

The bill would amend Part 487 (Sport Fishing) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to add Subpart 6 (Fishing Promotion), which would require the DNR to facilitate the holding of an annual senior citizen fishing derby. The DNR also could employ senior citizens to work at youth fishing derbies, Big Sister and Big Brother fishing derbies, and fishing derbies for the mentally disabled, if those fishing derbies provided all eligible participants with a reusable bamboo fishing pole, bait, a certificate of participation, and a photograph of the participant at the fishing derby.

(The Act defines "senior citizen" as a resident 65 years of age or older.)

MCL 324.48745

ARGUMENTS

(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)

Supporting Argument

Under the bill, the DNR could employ senior citizens to work at the derbies so that they could share their fishing expertise and knowledge with the young, adolescent, and mentally disabled fishing participants. The bill would provide an opportunity for positive interaction between senior citizens and derby participants while allowing the DNR to employ the senior citizens, if it so chose.

Supporting Argument

The bill would require the DNR to provide facilities for an annual senior citizen fishing derby. It would ensure that senior citizens who enjoy and share an interest in sportfishing would have at least one fishing derby where they could interact and participate with other senior citizens.

- Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact, depending on the number of fishing derbies held and senior citizens employed. The bill would have no fiscal impact on local government.

- Fiscal Analyst: G. Cutler

A9798\S1049A

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.