AB576: Bill Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 576

September 22, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Thiesfeldt, Murphy, Bowen, Cabral-Guevara, Dallman, Hintz, Horlacher, Mursau, Ramthun, Schraa, Skowronski, Stubbs and Tusler, cosponsored by Senators Feyen, Ballweg, Cowles, Roth and Wanggaard. Referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage.

AB576,1,2 An Act to create 29.630 and 29.709 (5) of the statutes; relating to: raffling lake sturgeon culled from state fish hatcheries.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources is authorized to operate state fish hatcheries. DNR may breed and propagate fish species that DNR determines to be of value and is authorized to distribute and dispose of the fish.

This bill authorizes an organization known as Sturgeon for Tomorrow, Inc., to request that DNR annually transfer up to 15 carcasses of lake sturgeon culled from state fish hatcheries to be awarded as prizes in a raffle. The bill requires the organization to preserve the carcasses for taxidermy and mounting and to provide to each person who receives a carcass a certificate of transfer. The bill also requires the organization to use all proceeds from these raffles to promote sturgeon management, conduct sturgeon habitat management, promote sturgeon reintroduction, or further sturgeon research.

For further information see the state 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:

AB576,1 Section 1. 29.630 of the statutes is created to read:

AB576,2,5 29.630 Raffling lake sturgeon culled from state fish hatcheries. (1) The organization known as Sturgeon for Tomorrow, Inc., may annually request that the department transfer not more than 15 carcasses of lake sturgeon culled from state fish hatcheries to be awarded as prizes in a raffle, subject to the requirements of subch. VIII of ch. 563.

AB576,2,7 (2) For any raffle conducted under sub. (1), the organization known as Sturgeon for Tomorrow, Inc., shall do all of the following:

AB576,2,9 (a) Preserve all sturgeon carcasses received from the department for taxidermy and mounting.

AB576,2,12 (b) Provide to each person who receives a sturgeon carcass a certificate of transfer furnished by the department, to be retained by the person receiving the sturgeon carcass.

AB576,2,15 (c) Use all proceeds from the raffle to promote sturgeon management, conduct sturgeon habitat management, promote sturgeon reintroduction, or further sturgeon research.

AB576,2 Section 2. 29.709 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

AB576,2,19 29.709 (5) Transfer the carcasses of lake sturgeon culled from state fish hatcheries as part of routine rearing practices to be used in raffles as provided in s. 29.630.

AB576,2,20 (End)