Natural Resources & Environment – Week of March 24, 2011

STAFF CONTACT:  Jace Mikels

SF 192 – Snowmobile registration fee increase

SF 464 – Allow NRC to establish an open season on mourning doves

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 192 increases the annual fee for registering a snowmobile from $15 to $30 and increases the nonresident snowmobile user free from $15 to $30. The revenue from snowmobile registration and user permit fees is deposited into the Snowmobile Trust Fund, and is appropriated to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for snowmobile programs. At least 50 percent of the funds available are to go to political subdivisions or incorporated private organizations (e.g., snowmobile clubs) for the construction and improvement of snowmobile activities. Snowmobiles that are operated on public land or ice are required to register with the state or pay a user permit fee.  Prior to passage, the Senate adopted an amendment stating that no money from the increase in fees shall be used by the DNR to pay for salary or administrative costs of the department.  [3/23: 31-15 (Democrats and Feenstra, Hahn, Houser, Johnson, Kapucian and Kettering “yes”); Bartz, Seymour and Ward absent]

SF 464 would allow the Natural Resources Commission to establish an open hunting season for mourning doves. Current law does not allow the Commission to establish a season for this species. [3/22: 30-18 (Beall, Bolkcom, Dandekar, Danielson, Dotzler, Dvorsky, Greiner, Hancock, Hatch, Hogg, Horn, Jochum, Kapucian, McCoy, Quirmbach, Schoenjahn, Seng, and Zaun “no”; Seymour and Ward absent)]