STARLING & CROW BOUNTY H.B. 5351: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 5351 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Steve Bieda
House Committee: Conservation, Forestry, and Outdoor Recreation
Senate Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
Date Completed: 12-12-06
CONTENT
The bill would repeal Public Act 125 of 1941, which provides for a bounty for killing a starling or crow.
Under the Act, a person who kills a starling or crow in any organized township, village, or city is entitled to receive a bounty of three cents for each starling and 10 cents for each crow. The law states that it is not obligatory on any county unless the board of supervisors adopts a resolution to that effect, and then only to the amount the board appropriates for that purpose. It is not effective in any city or village in the county unless the governing body adopts a resolution to that effect.
An applicant for the bounty must take the starlings in lots of at least 50 and crows in lots of at least 10 to the clerk of the township, village, or city in which the birds were killed. If satisfied with the correctness of the claim, the clerk must issue a certificate stating the amount of bounty to which the applicant is entitled, and destroy the birds. The claimant or his or her agent may present the certificate to the county clerk, who must draw a warrant for the amount on the county treasurer. Upon presentation of the warrant, the treasurer must pay the bounty from the county's general or contingent fund.
A person who collects or attempts to collect any bounty under the Act on any bird other than starlings or crows, or who collects or attempts to collect a bounty in a county other than the county in which the birds were killed, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of between $1 and $10 and/or imprisonment for up to 10 days.
MCL 433.301-433.304 Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government. The bill would negligibly reduce local unit expenses in any local unit that currently pays the affected bounties. To the extent no local units authorize such bounties, the bill would have no fiscal impact.
Fiscal Analyst: David Zin
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. hb5351/0506