Amendment AA2-AB623

LRBa2320/3

RNK&MGG:wlj:pg

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 2, TO 2003 ASSEMBLY BILL 623

March 2, 2004 - Offered by Representatives Gunderson, Petrowski and Pettis.

AB623-AA2,1,1 At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:

AB623-AA2,1,4 1. Page 4, line 4: after "water." insert "This subsection does not apply to participants in a bass fishing tournament for which a permit has been issued under s. 29.4035.".

AB623-AA2,1,5 2. Page 4, line 23: after that line insert:

AB623-AA2,1,6 " Section 2m. 29.4035 of the statutes is created to read:

AB623-AA2,1,9 29.4035 Bass fishing tournament pilot program. (1) In this section, "live well" means a container that is used to hold live fish and that meets standards established by the department by rule.

AB623-AA2,2,5 (2) The department shall establish a bass fishing tournament pilot program under which the department shall issue 4 permits per year. The department shall issue at least one permit per year under this section for a bass fishing tournament that authorizes participants to fish for, and cull, both largemouth and smallmouth bass. The remaining permits issued under this section shall authorize participants to fish for both largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, but to cull only largemouth bass. The department shall confer with the advisory board appointed under 2003 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 6, to determine who shall be issued a permit under this section.

AB623-AA2,2,8 (3) Notwithstanding s. 29.055, a permit issued under this section authorizes a person to conduct a bass fishing tournament in which participants may take bass in excess of the daily bag limit if all of the following apply:

AB623-AA2,2,9 (a) Each boat in the tournament is equipped with a live well.

AB623-AA2,2,11 (b) A participant either immediately releases the bass into the water from which it was taken or holds the bass in a live well.

AB623-AA2,2,13 (c) The bass held in a live well by a participant at any one time does not exceed the daily bag limit.

AB623-AA2,2,15 (d) Each bass when released by a participant into the water from which it was taken is able to swim away in a healthy condition.

AB623-AA2,2,20 (4) The department, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Bass Federation, shall conduct research and collect data for the purpose of evaluating the pilot program under this section. The department shall report its findings to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) on or before December 31, 2006.

AB623-AA2,2,21 (5) This section does not apply after December 31, 2006.".

AB623-AA2,2,22 3. Page 5, line 14: delete "under section 227.13 of the statutes".

AB623-AA2,3,3 4. Page 5, line 15: after "act" insert ", and for the purpose of advising the department in determining to whom the department shall issue permits under section 29.4035 of the statutes, as created by this act".

AB623-AA2,3,4 (End)