FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: February 15, 2021
Time Requested: 01:08 PM |
| Agency: |
Natural Resources, WV Division of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 1590 |
Introduced |
HB2497 |
|
|---|
| 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 the proposed legislation is to allow resident West Virginia Veterans with a combined disability of 50 percent or greater or diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) certified by the West Virginia Veterans Administration the privilege to hunt and/or fish in West Virginia without purchasing a license. Currently, disabled veterans with 100 percent disability are not required to purchase a license. There are an estimated 28,462 resident West Virginia Disabled Veterans (21,057 are estimated to have 50 percent or greater disability and 7,405 with PTSD). An estimated 6,262 individuals will be eligible to hunt and/or fish in West Virginia without purchasing a license. At current license fees, each resident license holder contributes an average of $45.21 to the hunting and fishing license fund. The fiscal impact of providing free hunting and fishing privileges to these 6,262 individuals would be to decrease hunting and fishing license revenue to the Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Law Enforcement programs by an estimated $283,105 annually. Because these individuals and future members of the Armed Forces would then be exempt from an inflation-indexed annual fee increase, the projected revenue losses to the State would increase in future years at a rate even greater than the inflation rate. The loss of these individuals as paid license holders would also reduce the State’s ability to capture federal aid revenue by an additional $67,745 annually, resulting in an estimated total revenue loss of $350,850 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 |
2021
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2022
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
-350,850 |
-350,850 |
| 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 |
-350,850 |
-350,850 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Estimated number of Disabled Veterans in West Virginia=37,026 Source: WV Veterans Administration 2019
56.87% of Disable veterans have 50% or greater disability (37,026 *56.87%) = 21,057
20% of disabled veterans with PTSD (37,026 * 0.20) = 7,405 Source: HealthyPlace.com, Effects of PTSD on Military Veterans
Total Veterans subject to legislation: 21,057 + 7,405 = 28,462
Est. WV participation rate in hunting and/or fishing = 22% US Fish and Wildlife Survey 2011
Est. # of licensable veterans who hunt and/or fish=28,462 X 22% = 6,262
Est. annual license revenue per licensed sportsman = $45.21 Determined from 2020 DNR License Sales
Est. annual license revenue loss from 6,262 exemptions = 6,262 X $45.21 = $283,105
Est. annual federal aid revenue per licensed hunter = $17.00
Est. WV participation rate in hunting = 14% US Fish and Wildlife Survey 2011
Est. # of disabled veteran hunters = 28,462 X 14% = 3,985
Est. annual federal aid revenue loss from 3,985 exemptions = 3,985 X $17 = $67,745
Est. annual license and federal aid revenue loss = $28,3105 + $67,745 = $350,850
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: Amanda Morris
Email Address: amanda.l.morris@wv.gov