CAPTURE OF LIVE RAPTORS FOR FALCONRY

House Bill 5697

Sponsor:  Rep. Dave Hildenbrand

House Bill 5983

Sponsor:  Rep. Kate Ebli

Committee:  Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources

Complete to 4-14-08

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5697 & 5983 AS INTRODUCED

Section 40107a of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), directs the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to issue an order setting a season or seasons allowing qualified falconers to capture specified live raptors from private land for use in falconry.  When originally enacted in 1998, the law directing the issuance of an order governing the capture of live raptors for falconry was due to sunset after five years.  It is currently set to expire on January 4, 2009.  The current order governing falconry can be found on the DNR website:  

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/ChapterX_128648_7.pdf

House Bill 5697 would eliminate the January 4, 2009 sunset provision. 

House Bill 5983 would (1) eliminate the sunset, (2) require the order to be based on "sound management practices," (3) eliminate a reference to a 25-raptor limit per year on the number of  any combination of live red-tailed hawks, Cooper's Hawks, American kestrels, or sharp-shinned hawks that the DNR may allow to be taken each year under its order, and (4) eliminate language that required the DNR to educate the public about raptors in the first year of its falconry order and to study methods of monitoring raptor populations. 

(Note: The bill leaves in a reference to 25 raptors on page 1, line 8, which appears inconsistent with the removal of the 25-raptor limit earlier in the bill.)

FISCAL IMPACT:

These bills would not have a fiscal impact on the state or local governmental units. 

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Shannan Kane

                                                                                                  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.