FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 19, 2026
Time Requested: 03:51 PM |
| Agency: |
Natural Resources, WV Division of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 2240 |
Introduced |
HB4494 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Natural Resources |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
3200, 8707
Sources of Revenue:
Special Fund
Legislation creates:
Decreases Existing Revenue
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The purpose of this bill is to exempt nonresident landowners, their spouse, and their children from fees associated with hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses so long as the state of their residence provides the same exemption.
From the 2024 survey of WV Deer Hunters, we estimate that approximately 7,490 nonresidents hunt on land they own or their parents own. If all nonresident landowners were provided with this exemption, it is estimated this would result in an expected minimum loss of $1,445,570 in revenue each year. However, since only nonresidents from states providing the same exemption would qualify, we found only nonresident landowners from the states of Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina would qualify. Nonresident hunting license sales from these states account for 44.18% of West Virginia’s nonresident sales. Therefore, we estimate an impact of $638,653 in lost revenue.
The anticipated reduction in revenue will result in the need to reduce the number of Natural Resource Police Officers by at least two full time positions.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2026
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2027
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
-638,653 |
-638,653 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Given Source
Average (2021-2024) Nonresident Licenses
Hunting/Trapping (Class E) + Apprentice (Class AAH) 28,138 WVDNR Consolidated Sales Statistics
Nonresidents who hunt on own land (28,138 X 20.45%) 5,754 Q6 2024 Deer Hunter
Survey percentage who
hunt most often on own
land (20.45%).
Nonresidents who hunt on family property
(28,138 X24.68 %) 5,944 Q6 2024 Deer Hunter
Survey, those who hunt
most often on family
property (24.68%).
25% of nonresidents who hunt on family property
(28,138*6.17%) 1,736 Estimate of
nonresidents hunting on
parents or children’s
land
Estimate number of nonresidents who hunt on own
land plus those who hunt on parent’s property
(5,754+1,736) 7,490
Average amount spent by nonresident hunter on
hunting license and stamps ('E', 'AAH', 'CSLE', 'I',
'NN', 'RRB', 'RRG', 'RRM', 'UU', 'VV', 'WW') $176
Estimated License Revenue Lost (7,490 X $176) $1,318,240
Federal aid revenue lost per individual $17
Total Federal Revenue Loss (7490 X $17) $127,330
Total Revenue Loss $1,445,570
Percentage of Nonresident hunting license holders from Ohio, Virginia, and NC= 44.18% (WV ELS)
$1,445,570 X 44.18%=$638,653 total impact
Memorandum
For additional information concerning this fiscal note, please contact:
Wendy Greene, Deputy Director
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
112 California Avenue
Charleston, West Virginia 25305
304-558-2754
Wendy.L.Greene@wv.gov
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Amy J. Smith
Email Address: amy.cowiesmith@wv.gov