LRB-1709/1
EHS:skw
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
February 28, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Tusler, Penterman, Edming,
Bodden, Mursau, Kitchens, Magnafici, Rozar and Steffen, cosponsored by
Senators Testin, Cabral-Guevara, Felzkowski and Taylor. Referred to
Committee on Sporting Heritage.
AB72,1,6
1An Act to amend 25.29 (1) (a), 29.219 (4), 29.229 (2) (i), 29.2295 (2) (i), 29.231
2(2), 29.236 (2), 29.563 (3) (a) 3. and 29.624 (1); and
to create 25.17 (1) (jf), 25.29
3(1) (g), 25.299, 29.219 (2g), 29.229 (2) (gm), 29.2295 (2) (gm) and 29.563 (3) (a)
44g. of the statutes;
relating to: a resident lifetime fishing license, a lifetime
5fishing trust fund, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures,
6and granting rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill creates a resident lifetime fishing license and provides for the
establishment of a lifetime fishing trust fund.
Under current law, with certain exceptions including an exception for residents
under the age of 16, no person may fish in this state unless the person has a valid
approval that authorizes fishing. The Department of Natural Resources issues
various fishing licenses, such as resident annual fishing licenses, one-day fishing
licenses, and two-day sports fishing licenses. The bill requires DNR to also issue
lifetime fishing licenses to residents.
Under the bill, the holder of a resident lifetime fishing license must still
purchase a fishing stamp if the type of fishing in which he or she will be engaged
requires such a stamp. The bill establishes the fee for a resident lifetime fishing
license at 30 times the fee for a resident annual fishing license, which under current
law is $19.25 plus a 75-cent issuing fee. Thus, at the current rate, a resident lifetime
fishing license fee under the bill is $577.50, plus a 75-cent issuing fee.
Under current law, all proceeds from hunting and fishing license fees are
deposited in the conservation fund and appropriated to DNR for various purposes
relating to fish and wildlife management. The bill creates a lifetime fishing trust
fund and provides that all fees from the sale of resident lifetime fishing licenses are
deposited in that trust fund. The bill provides that, each fiscal year, all interest that
has accrued in the lifetime fishing trust fund and a prorated amount of the money
from each resident lifetime fishing license fee must be transferred from the lifetime
fishing trust fund to the conservation fund. The bill allows DNR to promulgate rules
establishing a system for prorating resident lifetime fishing license fees for the
purposes of this transfer. The bill requires that the system for prorating these fees
must comply with the federal rules governing how lifetime licenses may be counted
for purposes of this state qualifying for funding under the federal Dingell-Johnson
Act.
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:
AB72,1
1Section 1
. 25.17 (1) (jf) of the statutes is created to read:
AB72,2,22
25.17
(1) (jf) Lifetime fishing trust fund (s. 25.299);
AB72,2
3Section 2
. 25.29 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB72,2,94
25.29
(1) (a) Except as provided in ss. 25.293
and, 25.295
, and 25.299, all
5moneys accruing to the state for or in behalf of the department under chs. 26, 27, 28,
629, 169, and 350, subchs. I and VI of ch. 77 and ss. 23.09 to 23.31, 23.325, 23.33,
723.335, except as provided in s. 25.40 (1) (bt), 23.35 to 23.42, 23.50 to 23.99, 30.50 to
830.55, 71.10 (5), 71.30 (10), and 90.21, including grants received from the federal
9government or any of its agencies except as otherwise provided by law.