FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: March 11, 2021
Time Requested: 11:26 AM |
| Agency: |
Natural Resources, WV Division of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 1593 |
Introduced |
HB3064 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Agriculture |
|---|
|
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 provide that any resident of West Virginia, honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States of America, who has a service related disability, regardless of percentage, as certified by the Veterans Administration, may hunt, trap or fish in this state without obtaining a license. There are an estimated 137,337 resident West Virginia Veterans. An estimated 37,026 of these individuals are estimated to have a service related disability and would 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 37,026 individuals would be to decrease hunting and fishing license revenue to the Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Law Enforcement programs by an estimated $368,281 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 $88,128 annually, resulting in an estimated total revenue loss of $456,409 annually.
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 |
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 |
-456,409 |
-456,409 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Estimated number of Veterans with disability in West Virginia=37,026 Source: WV Veterans Administration
Est. WV participation rate in hunting and/or fishing=22% US FWS 2011 National Survey
Est. # of licensable veterans who hunt and/or fish=37,026 X 22%=8,146
Est. annual license revenue per licensed sportsman=$45.21 DNR ELS Sales
Est. annual license revenue loss from 8,146 exemptions=8,146 X $45.21= $368,281
Est. annual federal aid revenue per licensed hunter=$17
Est. WV participation rate in hunting=14% US FWS 2011 National Survey
Est. # of veteran hunters=37,026 X 14%=5,184
Est. annual federal aid revenue loss from 5,184 exemptions=5,184 X $17= $88,128
Est. annual license and federal aid revenue loss=$368,281 +$88,128 = $456,409
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.
For additional information concerning this fiscal note, please contact:
Zack Brown
zack.j.brown@wv.gov
304-558-2771
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Amanda Morris
Email Address: amanda.l.morris@wv.gov