05/09/2002 01:55 PM House FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 279(FIN)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  authorizing the  commissioner of fish  and game                                                                   
     to issue  complimentary sport fishing licenses  and tags                                                                   
     to September 11 emergency  responders and their spouses;                                                                   
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
YURI MORGAN, STAFF,  SENATOR WILKEN, testified  in support of                                                                   
the legislation.  He noted  that on  September 11,  2002, the                                                                   
United  States  experienced  terrorist   attacks  within  its                                                                   
borders. The legislation says  thanks to the first responders                                                                   
                  th                                                                                                            
of  September   11   terrorist   attacks.  Senate   Bill  279                                                                   
authorizes the Commissioner  of Fish and Game to  issue up to                                                                   
250 complimentary sport fishing  licenses and salmon tags, as                                                                   
appropriate,  per  year  to firemen,  police,  and  emergency                                                                   
medical  technicians (EMT)  who  responded to  the events  on                                                                   
September 11, 2001 at the World  Trade Center in New York and                                                                   
the Pentagon in  Washington D.C. The intent is  not to impose                                                                   
any  administrative  difficulties   on  the  department.  The                                                                   
legislation   would  limit  the   provisions  to   the  first                                                                   
responders from September to November.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Bunde questioned  how the  licenses would  be                                                                   
administered. Mr. Morgan noted  that they would not come from                                                                   
the  vendors. The  department  would draft  a  letter to  the                                                                   
appropriate entities in the surrounding  areas and allow them                                                                   
to distribute notice and verify requests.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hudson questioned  if  the legislation  would                                                                   
apply to  firemen that  that responded  to the disaster  from                                                                   
areas outside of New York. Mr.  Morgan responded that letters                                                                   
could be sent to neighboring areas such as Philadelphia.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Bunde  suggested that those that  responded to the                                                                   
Pentagon disaster  and the crash  site in Pennsylvania  would                                                                   
be  included.  Mr.  Morgan  acknowledged   that  many  people                                                                   
responded, but  emphasized that the  intent was to  limit the                                                                   
work of the department.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Bunde  questioned if  the legislation  would cause                                                                   
problems for the department.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEVIN BROOKS, DIRECTOR, DIVISION  OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,                                                                   
DEPARTMENT  OF  FISH  AND  GAME,  provided  information.  The                                                                   
department has  worked with the  sponsor to narrow  the scope                                                                   
of the  legislation. The information  would be given  to fire                                                                   
commissioners   in  New  York,   Pennsylvania,  New   Jersey,                                                                   
Washington  D.C., Virginia  and  Maryland. There  would be  a                                                                   
verification  process  and  the license  would  be  processed                                                                   
through the  mail. There would  be no impact to  vendors. The                                                                   
department  is  comfortable  that   they  can  implement  the                                                                   
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Hudson  expressed   his   intent  that   the                                                                   
Pennsylvania  crash site  also be included.  Members  and the                                                                   
sponsor's representative agreed with the intent.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Brooks observed that Pennsylvania  would be contacted and                                                                   
that the  department would have  the authority to  extend the                                                                   
exemption to those  that responded to the  Pennsylvania crash                                                                   
site.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster  MOVED to report CSSB 279  (FIN) out of                                                                   
Committee with the accompanying fiscal note                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 279(FIN) was REPORTED out  of Committee with a "do pass"                                                                   
recommendation and with previously  published fiscal note: #1                                                                   
CED.