AB543: Bill Text

LRB-3639/1

ZDW:cjs

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Assembly BILL 543

October 14, 2019 - Introduced by Representatives Skowronski, Born, Brostoff, Duchow, Edming, Hutton, Kulp, Milroy, Novak, Petersen, Sinicki, Stuck, Thiesfeldt, Tusler, Wittke and Kitchens, cosponsored by Senators Testin, Cowles, Olsen and Wirch. Referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage.

AB543,1,2 An Act to amend 29.563 (2) (e) 3.; and to create 29.191 (1) (c) of the statutes; relating to: increasing the waterfowl hunting stamp fee.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill raises the fee for a waterfowl hunting stamp to $11.75. Under current law generally, no person may hunt waterfowl unless he or she is issued a conservation patron license, a hunting license authorizing the hunting of small game and a waterfowl hunting stamp, or a sports license and a waterfowl hunting stamp. Currently, a waterfowl hunting stamp may be purchased for a $6.75 fee plus a 25 cent issuing fee.

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources must spend 67 percent of the money received from fees for waterfowl hunting stamps for developing, managing, preserving, restoring, and maintaining wetland habitat and for producing waterfowl and ecologically related species of wildlife. The bill requires DNR to prepare a biennial report for the legislature that identifies how the money received from fees for waterfowl hunting stamps is used for habitat projects.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB543,1 Section 1 . 29.191 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB543,2,9 29.191 (1) (c) Reporting requirement. No later than November 15 of each odd-numbered year, the department shall submit to the joint committee on finance and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) a report identifying how the money received from fees for waterfowl hunting stamps is used for habitat projects. The report shall account for money received from fees for waterfowl hunting stamps that is awarded or obligated to each habitat project, expenditures made for each habitat project during the preceding fiscal biennium, and any money received from fees for waterfowl hunting stamps that remained unobligated at the end of the preceding fiscal biennium.

AB543,2 Section 2. 29.563 (2) (e) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB543,2,11 29.563 (2) (e) 3. Waterfowl: $6.75 $11.75.

AB543,3 Section 3 . Nonstatutory provisions.

AB543,2,15 (1) Notwithstanding s. 29.191 (1) (c), the department of natural resources shall first submit the report required under s. 29.191 (1) (c) on or before the November 15 following the effective date of this subsection.

AB543,2,16 (End)