SB380: Bill Text

LRB-3463/1

EHS:eev:jf

2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE

2013 Senate BILL 380

October 29, 2013 - Introduced by Senators Petrowski, Risser and Schultz, cosponsored by Representatives Williams, Spiros, Bies, Tittl, A. Ott, Bernier, Berceau, Ripp, Brooks and Ohnstad. Referred to Natural Resources.

SB380,1,3 An Act to amend 29.983 (1) (a); and to create 29.983 (1) (c) of the statutes; relating to: a higher wild animal protection surcharge for certain animals of a larger size.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, if a court imposes a fine or forfeiture for the unlawful killing, wounding, catching, taking, trapping, or possession of certain wild animals, the court may impose a wild animal protection surcharge. The statute specifies the amount of the surcharge allowed for each type of wild animal.

This bill allows a court to impose a higher wild animal protection surcharge when it imposes a fine or forfeiture for the unlawful killing, wounding, catching, taking, trapping, or possession of a deer, elk, or bear that has a certain size of antlers or skull. The bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to establish a method for measuring the antler or skull size, and specifies the amount of the surcharge allowed for each animal. If both a regular and a higher wild animal protection surcharge are allowed, the bill requires a court to impose the higher surcharge.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB380,1 Section 1. 29.983 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB380,2,11 29.983 (1) (a) If a court imposes a fine or forfeiture for a violation of a provision of this chapter or an order issued under this chapter for the unlawful killing, wounding, catching, taking, trapping, or possession of a wild animal specified in par. (b) or (c), or any part of such a wild animal, the court may impose a wild animal protection surcharge under ch. 814 that equals the amount specified for the wild animal under par. (b) or (c). The department shall establish a method for measuring the size of the antlers of a deer or elk and the skull of a bear to determine whether the wild animal surcharge amounts listed under par. (c) apply. If a wild animal protection surcharge under both pars. (b) and (c) applies, the court shall use the wild animal protection surcharge listed under par. (c).

SB380,2 Section 2. 29.983 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB380,2,14 29.983 (1) (c) (intro.) The amount of the wild animal protection surcharge imposed under ch. 814 for the following wild animals shall be as follows:

SB380,2,16 1. For any deer with antlers measuring at least 125 inches but less than 150 inches, $2,000.

SB380,2,18 2. For any deer with antlers measuring at least 150 inches but less than 170 inches, $5,000.

SB380,2,19 3. For any deer with antlers measuring 170 inches or more, $10,000.

SB380,2,21 4. For any elk with at least 6 points on one antler or with antlers measuring 260 inches or more, $10,000.

SB380,2,22 5. For any bear with a skull measuring 20 inches or more, $2,000.

SB380,3 Section 3. Initial applicability.

SB380,3,2 (1) This act first applies to violations that occur on the effective date of this subsection.

SB380,3,3 (End)