ROADKILL SALVAGE                                                                              S.B. 613 (S-3):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 613 (Substitute S-3 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Senator Darwin L. Booher

Committee:  Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes

CONTENT

The bill would amend Part 401 (Wildlife Conservation) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to do the following:

-- Allow an individual to possess game that was killed by, or injured and euthanized as allowed by law following, a collision with a motor vehicle; and grant the vehicle driver first priority to take possession.

-- Require an individual who took possession to take certain actions, as described below.

-- Require an individual to obtain a salvage tag from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in order to deliver the game to a business for taxidermy or tanning purposes.

-- Require the DNR to issue a salvage tag promptly upon request.

-- Authorize the DNR Director to suspend all salvage mechanisms for disease-affected areas by issuing an order based on sound science to address disease control, and require the DNR to provide public notice of the order and notify the Legislature.

The bill would apply to game other than brant, coot, crow, cub bear, duck, elk, Florida gallinule, geese, moose, snipe, sora rail, spotted fawn deer, Virginia rail, wolf, and woodcock.  The bill would not apply to an individual who used a motor vehicle to kill or injure game intentionally.

An individual in possession of small game under the bill would have to prepare a written record of specified information, including the intended purpose for obtaining possession.  The individual would have to maintain the record until he or she obtained a salvage tag or until the game and its parts were consumed, composted, or no longer possessed by any person; and show the record to a law enforcement officer upon request.

An individual in possession of game other than small game would have to do one of the following: 1) obtain a salvage tag; 2) promptly notify the DNR or a local law enforcement agency of his or her intent to maintain possession; or 3) if the individual were the vehicle driver and were calling 9-1-1 to report the collision, state his or her intent to maintain possession.  If an individual notified 9-1-1, the DNR, or a local law enforcement agency he or she would have to provide specified information, including the intended purpose.

Proposed MCL 324.40115                                               Legislative Analyst:  Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  3-25-14                                                     Fiscal Analyst:  Josh Sefton

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.