05/03/1994 09:10 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
  HOUSE BILL NO. 232                                                           
                                                                               
       An Act relating  to a bow  hunting tag and bow  hunting                 
       safety; and providing for an effective date.                            
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce directed  that  HB 232  be  brought on  for                 
  discussion  and referenced  the Senate Resources  version, a                 
  memorandum and sponsor statement  from Representative Bunde,                 
  a  sectional  analysis  from  Legislative  Legal   Services,                 
  correspondence   in   support   of  the   legislation,   and                 
  accompanying fiscal notes.                                                   
                                                                               
  Senator Kelly  raised questions concerning the  budgeting of                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  $45.0  for  the  bow  hunting  education program.    Senator                 
  Kerttula voiced support for the program but stressed that it                 
  should  be  self-  supporting   and  also  cover  protection                 
  efforts.  PATTI SWENSON, aide  to Representative Bunde, came                 
  before committee.   She deferred  questions relating to  the                 
  fiscal note to  the department.  DAVE  KELLYHOUSE, Director,                 
  Division of  Wildlife and  Conservation, Dept.  of Fish  and                 
  Game,  explained  that  the  department's  hunter  education                 
  program is supported by Pittman/Robertson  and fish and game                 
  funds.  The department attempts to refrain from charging for                 
  the course to  encourage greater  firearm safety and  hunter                 
  education.   An excise  tax on  bows and  arrows provides  a                 
  portion of the funding.  The proposed bill would help defray                 
  the cost.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce inquired regarding  the cost  of developing                 
  the safety  program.  Mr.  Kellyhouse advised that  he could                 
  not  speak  to the  actual  cost  since  the program  relies                 
  heavily  upon  certified volunteer  instructors  through the                 
  International Bow Hunter Association.   A full-time range 18                 
  position and a  clerk typist run the  program.  The  cost of                 
  salaries is $100.0  plus a small  operating budget of  about                 
  $30.0.  With that funding,  the program trains approximately                 
  1,000 general hunter education  students and qualifies close                 
  to 1,000 bow hunters.  In response to further questions from                 
  Senator  Kelly, Mr.  Kellyhouse  explained  that bow  hunter                 
  safety  is  only  a  portion  of  the  much  broader  hunter                 
  education program.   The majority of  those enrolled in  the                 
  education course are rifle hunters.                                          
                                                                               
  Senator Kerttula asked  if it would  cost more to  implement                 
  the program than  it is likely to generate in revenues.  Mr.                 
  Kellyhouse responded that  he did not  believe so.  He  said                 
  that the department would not upscale  the program in excess                 
  of revenues.                                                                 
                                                                               
  Senator Kerttula MOVED for passage of  SCS HB 232 (Res) with                 
  individual  recommendations.    No  objection  having   been                 
  raised, SCS HB 232 (Res) was  REPORTED OUT of committee with                 
  a  fiscal  note from  the  Dept.  of Fish  and  Game showing                 
  operating costs  of $5.0  and revenues  of  $9.1.   Co-chair                 
  Pearce and  Senators Jacko  and Sharp  signed the  committee                 
  report with  a "do  pass" recommendation.   Senators  Kelly,                 
  Kerttula,  and Rieger signed  "no recommendation."  Co-chair                 
  Frank  was temporarily absent  from the meeting  and did not                 
  sign.                                                                        
                                                                               
  HB 239                                                                       
                                                                               
  CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 239(RES) am                                            
                                                                               
       Act relating to raffles and auctions of certain permits                 
       to take big game; and providing for an effective date.                  
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Co-chair Pearce directed that CSHB 239 (Res)am be brought on                 
  for discussion.   REPRESENTATIVE CON  BUNDE, sponsor of  the                 
  legislation, came before  committee.   He observed that  the                 
  proposed bill is anticipated to generate revenues as high as                 
  $250.0, annually, for the  fish and game fund.   The program                 
  mirrors   those  in  eleven  western  states.    Outdoorsmen                 
  purchase "these memorial kinds of tags"  with the "notion of                 
  giving something back to the sport that they  have enjoyed."                 
  The thrust of the bill is to provide a positive revenue flow                 
  in the face of declining budgets.                                            
                                                                               
  Co-chair Pearce inquired concerning  changes effected in the                 
  Senate  Resources bill.   Representative Bunde  advised that                 
  they  address  concerns raised  by  both the  department and                 
  outdoor groups.   Changes are  minor.  One  would allow  the                 
  existing safeguard program,  which deals with fish  and game                 
  violations, to retain a larger percentage of the proceeds of                 
  a  raffle the program  presently conducts.   A provision was                 
  also added allowing  an in-state organization to "get one of                 
  the  tags."   The  department  will select  the organization                 
  based on ability  to generate a  positive cash flow.   Other                 
  changes are technical.                                                       
                                                                               
  Senator Sharp MOVED that SCS  CSHB 239 (Resources) pass from                 
  committee  with  individual  recommendation.   No  objection                 
  having been raised, SCS  CSHB 239 (Res) was REPORTED  OUT of                 
  committee with a fiscal note from the Dept. of Fish and Game                 
  showing a  cost of $1.0 and  $25.0 in revenue.   All members                 
  signed the committee report with a "do pass" recommendation,                 
  with  the  exception  of  Senator  Kerttula who  signed  "no                 
  recommendation."