HUNTING LICENSE FEE INCREASES
House Bill 4624
Sponsor: Rep. Matthew Gillard
Committee: Appropriations
BRIEF SUMMARY: This bill would increase license fees for bear, deer, elk, waterfowl, and turkey hunters. Increases would occur in FY 2006-07, and incrementally each fiscal year until FY 2012-13.
FISCAL IMPACT: This license fee package would provide $1.9 million in additional revenue in FY 2006-07, and $9.9 million in FY 2007-08 over current levels. A detailed list of proposed increases is provided in Table 1, below. These projections assume a continuing 1.7% annual decline in the number of licenses sold, and a 5% resistance factor: one in 20 current hunters will not purchase a license because of the size of the fee increase. It is also assumed that the license fee increases included in this bill will be effective in August 2007.
THE APPARENT PROBLEM:
The Game and Fish Protection Fund will have a deficit of $9.0 million by the end of FY 2007-08 if no changes are made in the fees charged for hunting and fishing licenses. This bill provides for license increases for hunting licenses. Another bill (SB 406) provides for similar increases in fishing licenses. Since 1987, the number of hunters has dropped by 14.3% (from 925,332 to 789,244). These decreases, coupled with the increase in resource management responsibilities placed on the department by Federal agencies and the courts, have placed a significant burden on Game and Fish Protection Fund programs. The department has reduced spending from these revenues by $8.0 million: the number of conservation officers has been reduced by 28%, and the number of positions supported by these fees has been reduced by nearly 9%. If this license proposal is not approved, game programs will be further reduced by $7.8 million (reductions related to this bill would amount to $6.6 million in FY 2007-08).
THE CONTENT OF THE BILL:
The following license fee changes would occur if this bill is enacted in its current form.
Table 1
License Prices based on HB 4624
|
Category |
License Name |
Current License Plate |
LY 07 |
LY08 |
LY09 |
LY10 |
LY11 |
LY12 |
LY13 |
|
Antlerless Deer |
Junior Antlerless Deer |
10.00 |
6.25 |
7.50 |
8.75 |
10.00 |
10.00 |
10.50 |
11.00 |
|
Antlerless Deer |
Non Resident Antlerless Deer |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
|
Antlerless Deer |
Resident Antlerless Deer |
10.00 |
12.50 |
15.00 |
17.50 |
20.00 |
20.00 |
21.00 |
22.05 |
|
Applications |
Applications |
4.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
5.00 |
|
Bear |
Non Resident Bear |
150.00 |
300.00 |
300.00 |
300.00 |
300.00 |
300.00 |
300.00 |
300.00 |
|
Bear |
Resident Bear |
15.00 |
23.75 |
32.50 |
41.25 |
50.00 |
50.00 |
52.50 |
55.13 |
|
Bear |
Senior Bear |
6.00 |
9.50 |
13.00 |
16.50 |
22.50 |
25.00 |
29.00 |
33.00 |
|
Deer |
Junior Firearm Deer |
15.00 |
9.50 |
11.25 |
13.25 |
15.00 |
15.00 |
15.75 |
16.50 |
|
Deer |
Junior Archery Deer |
7.50 |
9.50 |
11.25 |
13.25 |
15.00 |
15.00 |
15.75 |
16.50 |
|
Deer |
Junior Combo Deer |
15.00 |
19.00 |
22.50 |
26.50 |
30.00 |
30.00 |
31.50 |
33.00 |
|
Deer |
Non Resident Firearm/Archery |
138.00 |
165.00 |
165.00 |
165.00 |
165.00 |
165.00 |
165.00 |
165.00 |
|
Deer |
Non Resident Combo Deer |
276.00 |
330.00 |
330.00 |
330.00 |
330.00 |
330.00 |
330.00 |
330.00 |
|
Deer |
Resident Firearm/Archery Deer |
15.00 |
18.75 |
22.50 |
26.25 |
30.00 |
30.00 |
31.50 |
33.08 |
|
Deer |
Resident 2nd Firearm/Archery Deer |
15.00 |
22.50 |
30.00 |
37.50 |
45.00 |
45.00 |
47.25 |
49.61 |
|
Deer |
Resident Combo Deer |
30.00 |
41.25 |
52.50 |
63.75 |
75.00 |
75.00 |
78.75 |
82.69 |
|
Deer |
Senior Firearm/Archery Deer |
6.00 |
7.50 |
9.00 |
10.50 |
13.50 |
15.00 |
17.25 |
19.75 |
|
Deer |
Senior Combo Deer |
12.00 |
15.00 |
18.00 |
21.00 |
27.00 |
30.00 |
34.50 |
39.50 |
|
Elk |
Elk License |
100.00 |
125.00 |
150.00 |
175.00 |
200.00 |
200.00 |
210.00 |
220.50 |
|
Fowl |
Annual Area Use Waterfowl |
13.00 |
14.75 |
16.50 |
18.25 |
20.00 |
20.00 |
21.00 |
22.05 |
|
Fowl |
Daily Area Use Waterfowl/Waterfowl Station Permit |
4.00 |
4.75 |
5.50 |
6.25 |
7.00 |
7.00 |
7.35 |
7.72 |
|
Fowl |
Waterfowl Hunting |
5.00 |
6.25 |
7.50 |
8.75 |
10.00 |
10.00 |
10.50 |
11.03 |
|
Fur |
Junior Fur Harvester/Fur Trap Only |
7.50 |
8.25 |
8.75 |
9.50 |
10.00 |
10.00 |
10.50 |
11.00 |
|
Fur |
Non Resident Fur Harvester/Fur Trap |
150.00 |
200.00 |
200.00 |
200.00 |
200.00 |
200.00 |
200.00 |
200.00 |
|
Fur |
Resident Fur Harvester/Fur Trap |
15.00 |
16.25 |
17.50 |
18.75 |
20.00 |
20.00 |
21.00 |
22.05 |
|
Fur |
Senior Fur Harvester |
6.00 |
6.50 |
7.00 |
7.50 |
9.00 |
10.00 |
11.50 |
13.25 |
|
Game |
3 Day Non Resident Small Game |
30.00 |
40.00 |
40.00 |
40.00 |
40.00 |
40.00 |
40.00 |
40.00 |
|
Game |
Junior Small Game |
1.00 |
8.25 |
8.75 |
9.50 |
10.00 |
10.00 |
10.50 |
11.00 |
|
Game |
Non Resident Small Game |
69.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
|
Game |
Resident Small Game/Gamebird Hunting Preserve |
15.00 |
16.25 |
17.50 |
18.75 |
20.00 |
20.00 |
21.00 |
22.05 |
|
Game |
Senior Small Game |
6.00 |
6.50 |
7.00 |
7.50 |
9.00 |
10.00 |
11.50 |
13.25 |
|
Misc. |
DNR Sportcard |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
Turkey |
Non ResidentTurkey |
69.00 |
140.00 |
140.00 |
140.00 |
140.00 |
140.00 |
140.00 |
140.00 |
|
Turkey |
ResidentTurkey |
15.00 |
18.75 |
22.50 |
26.25 |
30.00 |
30.00 |
31.50 |
33.08 |
|
Turkey |
SeniorTurkey |
6.00 |
7.50 |
9.00 |
10.50 |
13.50 |
15.00 |
17.25 |
19.75 |
* Antlerless Deer licenses are listed at 2/3 of the maximum price allowed by statute.
** Military licenses are $1.00
*** Senior licenses are discounted at the following percentages: LY07, LY08 and LY 09 – 60%; LY10 – 55% ; LY 12 – 45%; LY13 – 40%
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The last legislated fee increase occurred in 1996. During the last 10 years, General Fund support for department programs has been reduced by 23.3%. Of $25.3 million appropriated in FY 2006-07, $12.6 million supports transfer payments to local governments through Payments in Lieu of Taxes. Nearly ¾ of total departmental revenue comes from license and fee revenue.
Game and Fish Fund Appropriations
FY 2006-07 Total = $73,169,100
It should be noted that $7.5 million is appropriated for administrative support programs (including information technology and the license sales system) and field operations and land management programs receive $7.1 million.
Fiscal Analyst: Kirk Lindquist
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.