HUNTING LICENSE AMENDMENTS
House Bills 4533 & 4534 as introduced
Sponsor: Rep. Curtis S. VanderWall
Committee: Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
Complete to 6-12-17
REVISED SUMMARY:
Each of the bills would amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) to amend sections dealing with hunting licenses.
House Bill 4533 would:
Beginning, March 1, 2018, allow a nonresident to purchase a three-day limited nonresident small game license for a fee of $40. This license would entitle the individual to hunt for a three-day period all species of small game that are available to hunt under a nonresident base license. (That section currently allows the purchase of a seven-day limited nonresident small game license with a fee of $80.)
House Bill 4534 would:
· Create the category of "qualified nonresident" to apply to an individual who (1) owns land in Michigan and (2) signs an affidavit that acknowledges he or she is only eligible to hunt on his or her own land, and that is accompanied by either a property assessment notice or a tax statement for the property.
· Provides a reduced license fee for a qualified nonresident for a small game base license. The reduced fee would be $75, compared to $150 for other nonresidents.
· Provides a reduced license fee for a qualified nonresident for a seven-day limited nonresident small game license. This fee would be $40, compared to $80 for other nonresidents.
· Provide a reduced fee for a qualified nonresident for an additional nonresident deer license or antlerless deer license. This fee would be $85, compared to $170 for other nonresidents.
· Proved a reduced fee for a qualified nonresident for a nonresident wolf hunting license. The reduced fee would be $250, compared to $500 for other nonresidents.
House Bill 4534 also would specify that only an individual holding a valid base license is eligible to purchase a combination deer license. The fee for a combination deer license would be $40 and includes:
- An unrestricted tag that may be used to take any antlered deer during any season or antlerless deer during archery season. (An antlered deer is a deer with at least one antler that extends three inches or more above the skull.)
- A restricted tag that may be used to take any deer with at least three antler points on one side, each at least one inch in length.
The bill would allow the Department of Natural Resources to issue a kill tag with or as part of each combination deer license. The kill tag must bear the license number and may also include space for other pertinent information required by the DNR. The kill tag, if issued, is part of the license.
[Note: The two bills are not tie-barred. In fact, they each amend Section 43523a but with different language, and would need to be reconciled if both are to be enacted at the same time.]
FISCAL IMPACT:
The bills are likely to have a negative fiscal impact on departmental revenues. The creation of the qualified nonresident hunting license at a lower sale price than that of the existing nonresident hunting license would reduce revenue that the DNR would otherwise realize through the current license fee structure. The number of potential licensed qualified nonresident hunters versus licensed nonresident hunters is unclear; however, the qualified nonresident fee rates included the bill are 50% lower than current nonresident fee rates. The department estimates that HB 4533 may result in a loss of $360,000 in annual revenue; HB 4534 may result in a loss of $500,000 to $1.6 million in annual revenue. The sale of hunting and fishing licenses generated approximately $63.2 million in revenue for DNR in FY 2015-16. These bills would have no fiscal impact on local units of government.
Legislative Analyst: Chris Couch
Fiscal Analyst: Austin Scott
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.