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SPONSOR: |
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DATE TYPED: |
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HB |
860 |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Bighorn Sheep Habitat Improvement |
SB |
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ANALYST: |
Valenzuela |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
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FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
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|
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$100.0 |
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Recurring |
Game
Protection Fund |
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|
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(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates
to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
Legislative Finance Committee files
Responses
Received From
Department
of Game and Fish
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
House Bill 860
appropriates $100.0 from the Game Protection Fund to Department of Game and
Fish for the purpose of funding additional bighorn sheep habitat improvement
and management projects.
Significant
Issues
Every year, DGF issues two bighorn sheep
enhancement permits to an incorporated nonprofit organization involved in
wildlife conservation, where one permit is to be sold at auction to the highest
bidder and one to be sold in a lottery. All money collected from the issuance
and sale of the bighorn sheep enhancement permits is deposited into the Big
Game Enhancement fund, which is a subsidiary account to the Game Protection
Fund. The money is to be used exclusively for bighorn sheep preservation,
restoration and management.
For the past three years, these licenses have
been highly sought after, as measured by the prices paid in auction and lottery.
For 2000, the auction permit brought in $85,000 while the lottery was sold for
$40,000. For 2001, the auction permit
brought in $75,000 while the lottery was sold for $45,000. For 2002, the auction permit brought in
$157,500 while the lottery was sold for $75,000.
In its FY04 budget request, the LFC supported
the DGF request in this program to spend $474.4 for bighorn sheep preservation,
restoration and management. HB 860 would increase this budget by $100.0. The
Big Game Enhancement Fund has sufficient cash balance to absorb the increase.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of
$100.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the Game Protection
Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal
year 2004 shall revert to the Game Protection Fund.
MFV/njw:yr