Brief ⁽¹⁾

HB 2857 creates the Wildlife and Parks nonrestricted fee fund for the deposit of wildlife related funds which are not restricted in their use to wildlife and fishery programs and projects only. The fund would also receive the interest on the balance in the fund.

The House Committee on Appropriations amended HB 2857 to eliminate the interest deposit and returns the interest to the State General Fund.

Background

The Division of Legislative Post Audit recommended creation of the fund to delineate nonrestricted wildlife funds from the Wildlife Fee Fund which may only be spent on wildlife and fisheries. The fund would receive receipts from at least three sources: magazine sales, trapping licenses, and non-federal grants and gifts. The bill's language has been included in appropriations bills since FY 1995. The Division of the Budget reports the bill would reduce State General Fund receipts by $12,000. As amended, the bill has no fiscal impact. The Department of Wildlife and Parks testified in favor of the bill.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html