FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: February 10, 2017
Time Requested: 09:41 AM |
| Agency: |
Natural Resources, WV Division of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 1238 |
Introduced |
HB2033 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Natural Resources |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
3200
Sources of Revenue:
Special Fund
Legislation creates:
Neither Program nor Fund
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The purpose of this bill is to allow resident lineal descendants (grandparents and grandchildren) of a landowner to hunt, trap and fish on the landowner’s property without obtaining a license to do so. If the bill were to become law, an estimated 9,623 resident individuals would take advantage of this benefit. At current license fees, each resident license holder contributes an average of $43.12 to the hunting and fishing license fund. The fiscal impact of providing free hunting and fishing privileges to these 9,623 resident individuals would be to decrease hunting and fishing license revenue to the Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Law Enforcement programs by an estimated $414,944 annually. Additionally, the Division of Natural Resources currently receives approximately $18 in federal revenue for each licensed hunter. The loss of these 9,623 resident individuals as paid license holders would reduce the State’s ability to capture federal aid revenue by an additional $173,214 annually, resulting in an estimated total revenue loss of $588,158 annually. License revenue and federal aid provide the bulk of the operating and capital improvements revenue for the agency’s wildlife and law enforcement programs.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2017
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2018
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
1,500 |
1,500 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
1,000 |
1,000 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
500 |
500 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
-588,158 |
-588,158 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Resident Data Sources
WV Resident Hunters = 284,665. Source: WVDNR Electronic license system (verified customers)
WV Deer hunters = 196,419. Source: 2016 WV Deer hunter Survey 69% residents hunt deer Q1.
WV Deer hunters+landowners= 90,353. Source: 2016 WV Deer hunter Survey 46% hunt deer on own land Q12.
Estimated grandparents = 13,553. Assume 15% of 90,353 are grandparents of landowners who deer hunt.
Estimated grandparents that hunt = 6,777. Assume 50% of grandparents hunt.
Estimated grandchildren= 40,659. Source: Assume 15% of deer hunters & landowners & hunt own land have grandchildren/children and the avg # is 3
Estimated grandchildren who hunt= 2,846. Source: Assume 50% of estimated grandchildren are males and 14% of the population hunts (2011 National survey, Table 15, pg24.)
Avg license revenue per resident licensee= $43.12. Source: 2016 License Sales. Average license costs of resident hunter
Explanation of above estimates:
Estimated number of resident individuals (grandparents and grandchildren) who would take advantage of this benefit=9,623
Est. annual license revenue per licensed resident sportsman=$43.12
Est. annual license revenue loss from 9,623 resident exemptions=9,623X$43.12=$414,944
Est. annual federal aid revenue per licensed resident hunter=$18.00
Est. annual federal aid revenue loss from 9,623 resident exemptions=9,623X$18.00=$173,214
Est. annual resident license and federal aid revenue loss=$414,944+$173,214=$588,158
Memorandum
By law, all hunters and anglers in West Virginia must be served by the agency’s wildlife and law enforcement programs, including those who are not paid license holders. Currently, the agency estimates that 43 percent of all hunters and anglers do not purchase a hunting or fishing license, thus placing the total financial responsibility for supporting wildlife and law enforcement programs on those who do purchase licenses. This bill would increase the number of sportsmen who will not purchase a license, thus increasing the financial responsibility on paid license holders for providing agency services to all. Finally, any reduction in paid license holders hurts the agency’s ability to secure federal aid revenues that are used to help keep license fees low for everyone. More free hunting and fishing license privileges for some must inevitably result in higher license fees for others, thereby reducing participation and economic impact from sportsman expenditures in the state.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Randy Tucker
Email Address: Randy.T.Tucker@wv.gov