FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 21, 2016
Time Requested: 02:07 PM |
| Agency: |
Natural Resources, Division of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 2125 |
Introduced |
SB348 |
|
|---|
| 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 lineal descendants 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 2,744 resident and 2,398 non-resident individuals would take advantage of this benefit. At current license fees, each resident licenseholder contributes an average of $42.92 and each non-resident licenseholder contributes an average of $170.12 to the hunting and fishing license fund. The fiscal impact of providing free hunting and fishing privileges to these 2,744 resident individuals and 2,398 non-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 $525,733 annually. Additionally, the Division of Natural Resources currently receives approximately $18 in federal revenue for each licensed hunter. The loss of these 2,744 resident and 2,398 non-resident individuals as paid licenseholders would reduce the State’s ability to capture federal aid revenue by an additional $92,561 annually, resulting in an estimated total revenue loss of $618,294 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.
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 licenseholders. 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 licenseholders for providing agency services to all. Finally, any reduction in paid licenseholders 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.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2016
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2017
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
1,000 |
1,000 |
| 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 |
-309,147 |
-618,294 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
3.
Resident Data Sources
WV Resident Hunters = 184,000. Source: 2011 US Fish and Wildlife Survey
Avg license revenue per resident licensee= $42.92. Source: 2014 License Sales.
Non-Resident Data Sources
Nonresident hunters = 26,642. Source: 2014 License Sales (sum of Class AAH + Class AAHJ + Class E licenses)
Hunt their own land only= 2,398. Source: Assume 9% (50% of GIS Parcel Data - Pocahontas County=18%)
Avg license revenue per nonresident hunter = $170.12. Source: 2014 License sales
Explanation of above estimates:
WV Deer hunters = 163,760. Source: 2005 Responsive Management Survey Figure Q85. 89% of all Hunters hunt deer.
WV Deer hunters+landowners= 124,458. Source: 2005 Responsive Management Survey Figure Q91. 76% Of Resident Deer hunters also own land
WV Deer hunters+landowners+hunt own land= 87,120. Source: 2005 Responsive Management Survey Figure Q92. 70% Hunt on own land
Estimated grandchildren= 39,204. Source: Assume 15% of deer hunters & landowners & hunt own land have grandchildren/children and the avg number is 3
Estimated grandchildren who hunt= 2,744. Source: Assume 50% of estimated grandchildren are males and 14% hunt
Estimated number of resident individuals who would take advantage of this benefit=$2,744
Est. annual license revenue per licensed resident sportsman=$42.92
Est. annual license revenue loss from 2,744 resident exemptions=2,744X$42.92=$117,785
Est. annual federal aid revenue per licensed resident hunter=$18.00
Est. annual federal aid revenue loss from 2,744 resident exemptions=2,744X$18.00=$49,397
Est. annual resident license and federal aid revenue loss=$117,785+$49,397=$167,182
Estimated number of non-resident individuals who would take advantage of this benefit=2,398
Est. annual license revenue per licensed non-resident sportsman=$170.12
Est. annual license revenue loss from 2,398 non-resident exemptions=2,398X$170.12=$407,948
Est. annual federal aid revenue per licensed non-resident hunter=$18.00
Est. annual federal aid revenue loss from 2,398 non-resident exemptions=2,398X$18.00=$43,164
Est. annual non-resident license and federal aid revenue loss=$407,948+$43,164=$451,112
Est. annual license revenue loss (resident and non-resident) = $117,785+$407,948 = $525,733
Est. annual federal aid revenue loss (resident and non-resident) = $49,397 + $43,164= $92,561
Total est. annual loss (license revenue and federal aid revenue) = $525,733 + $92,561 = $618,294
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 licenseholders. 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 licenseholders for providing agency services to all. Finally, any reduction in paid licenseholders 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.L.Tucker@wv.gov