FISCAL NOTE
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 grandchildren of resident landowners 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 9,148 individuals would take advantage of this benefit. At current license fees, each resident licenseholder contributes an average of $42.92 to the hunting and fishing license fund. The fiscal impact of providing free hunting and fishing privileges to these 9,148 individuals would be to decrease hunting and fishing license revenue to the Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Law Enforcement programs by an estimated $392,617 annually. Additionally, the Division of Natural Resources currently receives approximately $18 in federal revenue for each licensed hunter. The loss of these 9,148 individuals as paid licenseholders would reduce the State’s ability to capture federal aid revenue by an additional $164,657 annually, resulting in an estimated total revenue loss of $557,274 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 |
2014
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2015
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 |
-278,637 |
-557,274 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Explanation of above estimates:
Estimated number of individuals who would take advantage of this benefit=9,148
Est. annual license revenue per licensed sportsman=$42.92
Est. annual license revenue loss from 9,148 exemptions=9,148X$42.92=$392,617
Est. annual federal aid revenue per licensed hunter=$18.00
Est. annual federal aid revenue loss from 9,148 exemptions=9,148X$18=$164,657
Est. annual license and federal aid revenue loss=$392,617+$164,657=$557,274
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: Steve Brown
Email Address: Walter.S.Brown@wv.gov