1998 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1491 – F&G, trophy big game tags

SENATE BILL NO. 1491

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Daily Data Tracking History



S1491..........................................by RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
FISH AND GAME - TROPHY BIG GAME TAGS - Amends existing law to increase the
percentage that may be retained by an organization on special game tags, to
provide for the issuance of trophy big game tags by the Department of Fish
and Game, to provide procedures, to create the Trophy Big Game Fund and to
provide the use of the moneys in the fund.

02/16    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/17    Rpt prt - to Res/Env

Bill Text


S1491


                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fourth Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 1998
                                                                        

                                      IN THE SENATE

                                   SENATE BILL NO. 1491

                          BY RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

 1                                        AN ACT
 2    RELATING TO THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION; AMENDING SECTION 36-408, IDAHO CODE,
 3        TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE THAT MAY BE RETAINED BY AN ORGANIZATION ON SPE-
 4        CIAL GAME TAGS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF TROPHY BIG  GAME  TAGS,  TO
 5        PROVIDE PROCEDURES TO CREATE THE TROPHY BIG GAME FUND, TO PROVIDE WHAT THE
 6        MONEYS IN THE FUND MAY BE USED FOR AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

 7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 8        SECTION  1.  That  Section  36-408, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 9    amended to read as follows:

10        36-408.  COMMISSION'S AUTHORITY -- TAGS -- PERMITS -- NONRESIDENTS LIMITED
11    -- OUTFITTERS SET-ASIDE. (a) Tags and Permits -- Method of Use. The commission
12    is hereby authorized to prescribe the number and kind of wildlife that may  be
13    taken under authority of the several types of tags and permits provided for in
14    this  title,  and  the manner in which said tags and permits shall be used and
15    validated.
16        (b)  Limit -- Licenses, Tags or Permits -- Controlled Hunts.  The  commis-
17    sion  is  hereby  authorized to establish a limit annually as to the number of
18    each kind and class of licenses, tags, or permits to be sold or issued and  is
19    further authorized to limit the number or prohibit entirely, the participation
20    by nonresidents in controlled hunts.
21        (c)  Outfitters  Set-aside.  When the commission establishes a limit as to
22    the number of nonresident deer tags and nonresident elk  tags,  it  shall  set
23    aside  annually  a  maximum of twenty-five  per cent   percent
24     (25%) of the nonresident deer tag and nonresident elk  tag  limit.  The
25    set-aside tags shall be sold pursuant to commission rule, only to persons that
26    have  entered  into  an  agreement for that year to utilize the services of an
27    outfitter licensed pursuant to chapter 21, title 36, Idaho Code.
28        In order for a person to purchase any set-aside nonresident  deer  tag  or
29    nonresident  elk  tag, that person's outfitter must submit an application with
30    the proper fees as required by the director. If any nonresident deer  tags  or
31    nonresident  elk tags set aside pursuant to this subsection are unsold by July
32    1 of the year in which they were set aside, they may be sold by the department
33    to the general public who are nonresidents. The commission may promulgate  all
34    necessary rules to implement the provisions of this subsection.
35        (d)  Deer  and  Elk Tag Allocation. If the commission limits the number of
36    deer or elk tags available for use in any game management area, unit or  zone,
37    the  commission  may  allocate by rule a number of deer or elk tags for use by
38    hunters that have entered into an agreement for that year to utilize the  ser-
39    vices of an outfitter licensed pursuant to chapter 21, title 36, Idaho Code.
40        (e)  Special  Game  Tags. The commission is hereby authorized to issue two
41    (2) special bighorn sheep tags per year. One special bighorn sheep  tag  shall
42    be  auctioned off by an incorporated nonprofit organization dedicated to wild-
43    life conservation, selected by the commission. The tag shall be issued by  the


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 1    department of fish and game to the highest eligible bidder. No more than 
 2    five per cent   ten percent  ( 5  10 %)
 3    of  the  successful  bid  for the tag may be retained by the organization. The
 4    commission is also authorized to issue one (1) special bighorn sheep tag which
 5    will be  disposed of by lottery. The lottery permit can be marketed  by  
 6    the  department  of fish and game or  a nonprofit organization dedicated
 7    to wildlife conservation selected by the commission. The tag will be issued by
 8    the department of fish and game to an eligible person drawn from  the  lottery
 9    provided  in  this  subsection. No more than twenty-five  per cent 
10     percent  (25%) of gross revenue can be retained for administrative
11    costs by the organization. All net proceeds for the tag disposed of by lottery
12    pursuant to this subsection shall be remitted to  the  bighorn  sheep  account
13    which  is hereby created in the dedicated fund. Moneys in the account shall be
14    utilized by the department in  solving  problems  between  bighorn  sheep  and
15    domestic  sheep,  solving  problems  between  wildlife and domestic animals or
16    improving relationships between sportsmen and private landowners by being uti-
17    lized in the veterinarian program established in subsection  (e)9  of  section
18    36-106, Idaho Code, and may be expended pursuant to appropriation. The tags to
19    be issued pursuant to this subsection shall be taken from the nonresident big-
20    horn  sheep tag quota. The net proceeds shall be forwarded to the director for
21    deposit in the fish and game trust account and shall be used for bighorn sheep
22    research and management purposes only  from  the  special  bighorn  sheep  tag
23    auctioned off by an incorporated nonprofit association. Moneys raised pursuant
24    to this subsection may not be used to transplant additional bighorn sheep into
25    that  portion  of  southwest  Idaho  south of the Snake river and west of U.S.
26    highway no. 93, nor for litigation or environmental impact statements  involv-
27    ing  bighorn  sheep.  No transplants of bighorn sheep accomplished with moneys
28    raised pursuant to this subsection shall occur in any area until hearings  are
29    conducted in the area.
30          (f)  Trophy  Big  Game Tags. The commission is hereby authorized to
31    issue six (6) special trophy big game tags per year. Three (3) special  trophy
32    big  game tags, one (1) each for moose, elk and deer shall be auctioned off by
33    an incorporated nonprofit organization  dedicated  to  wildlife  conservation,
34    selected by the commission. The tags shall be issued by the department of fish
35    and game to the highest eligible bidder. No more than ten percent (10%) of the
36    successful  bids  for the tag may be retained by the organization. The commis-
37    sion is also authorized to issue three (3) special big game trophy  tags,  one
38    (1)  each  for  moose,  elk and deer which will be disposed of by lottery. The
39    lottery tag shall be marketed by an incorporated nonprofit organization  dedi-
40    cated  to  wildlife  conservation  selected by the commission. The tag will be
41    issued by the department of fish and game to an eligible person drawn  by  the
42    lottery  provided  in this subsection.  No more than twenty-five percent (25%)
43    of the gross revenue can be retained for administrative costs by the organiza-
44    tion. All net proceeds for the tag disposed of by the lottery pursuant to this
45    subsection shall be remitted to the trophy big game fund which is hereby  cre-
46    ated.  Moneys  in  the fund shall be utilized by the department for conducting
47    surveys and studies for the benefit of moose, elk and deer. The  moneys  shall
48    also  be used by the department for big game habitat restoration and predatory
49    animal control. The department of fish and game is further authorized to allo-
50    cate moneys for the same uses by the department as provided in this subsection
51    to an incorporated nonprofit organization dedicated to wildlife  conservation.
52    Any  moneys  allocated  to  an incorporated nonprofit corporation dedicated to
53    wildlife conservation for  purposes  provided  in  this  subsection  shall  be
54    matched  by  that organization. The tags to be issued pursuant to this subsec-
55    tion shall be taken from the nonresident  moose,  elk  and  deer  tag  quotas.


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 1    

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


    





                            STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
    
                                  RS 07962
    
    This legislation will increase the amount that an 
    incorporated nonprofit organization may retain after a 
    special game tag has been successfully auctioned off to the 
    highest bidder. It also deletes the Department of Fish & Game 
    in the marketing of the lottery permit and leaves the 
    nonprofit organization solely responsible.
    
    Additionally this legislation adds six special trophy big game 
    tags. Three to be auctioned off by the nonprofit selected by 
    the Fish & Game Commission with 10% of the proceeds retained by 
    the nonprofit. Three big game tags that will be disposed of by 
    the lottery, no more than 25% of the gross revenue retained by 
    the organization for administrative costs. These additional 
    funds will be divided between the trophy big game fund for big 
    game habitat restoration and predatory animal control.
    
                                FISCAL NOTE
    
    There will be a positive fiscal impact to both these funds 
    within the Department of Fish &Game. However, the funds are 
    dedicated. The impact will be difficult to judge because the 
    auction could fluctuate.
    
    Contact: Senator Robbi King 332-1337
             Michael J. Flannagan, P.A. 338-6558
    
    STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE
    
    S1491