MikeTLive
10-07-2003, 03:03 PM
Legislation to Restore the Inland Fish & Game Fund from Joint Chairs of Natural Resources
see this thread for background.
http://striped-bass.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10051
I received a response from Frank Hynes regarding the Fishand Wildlife Funds::
Mike: Please find enclosed the information for which you are looking. I
myself have signed onto this proposal as a cosponsor. Frank Dear
Colleague,
As chairs of the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture,
we are writing to bring to your attention a matter of urgency in
avoiding the loss of federal monies to the commonwealth. As you may
already know, the FY04 budget repealed the Inland Fish and Game fund, a
dedicated fund from the sale of hunting, fishing and trapping permits
and fees, thus diverting all monies from this fund into the general
fund.
In years past, this fund has received a federal matching grant on the
order of $5 million, provided that monies from the fund are not
allocated for any use other than hunting, fishing, trapping and sporting
activities. The sportsmen, themselves, lobbied for raising the fees a
few years ago because they were used explicitly for hunting and fishing
purposes.
The FY04 budget included language requiring the comptroller to track the
expenditure of revenues from hunting and fishing permits and fees, but
the federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has just declared
Massachusetts to be ineligible for federal funds in FY04 because of the
potential to divert revenues for other, unapproved uses.
We have only 30 days to initiate corrective action before we become
ineligible for federal funds. Not only will our fish and game programs
suffer the loss of these federal funds, but they will be further
ineligible for further federal funds until the Commonwealth pays back
any diverted monies plus interest.
In a time of such fiscal crisis, forfeiting what is essentially free
money is intolerable. We have filed legislation to restore the Inland
Fish and Game fund as it stood prior to the FY04 budget, and it is
available in the House Clerk's office for co-sponsors to sign on. Please
contact the office of Representative Bill Greene if you have any
questions. The text of the legislation is attached below. Thank you for
your consideration.
Cordially,
William G. Greene, Jr. Pamela P. Resor
House Chairman, Joint Committee on Senate Chairwoman, Joint
Committee on
Natural Resources & Agriculture Natural Resource & Agriculture
And, here are the documents referred to.
RELATIVE TO THE INLAND FISH AND GAME FUND
Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2003 is hereby amended by striking Section 622.
SECTION 2. Chapter 131 of the general laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2B, the following section:
Section 2C. Monies received by the commonwealth from license fees, permit fees and from any and all sources pertaining to inland fishing, hunting and trapping from permit fees under the provisions of section twenty-two A, from any sale authorized in section six and sums received by the commonwealth from the federal government as reimbursement, grants in aid or other receipts on account of activities of the division, shall be credited on the books of the commonwealth to a fund to be known as the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund except that sums received for natural heritage and endangered species programs shall be credited to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species account, established by section thirty-four of Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2003; provided, however, that one dollar from the sale of each sporting, fishing, trapping and hunting license shall be credited to the wildlands acquisition account established by section two A of this chapter. All unexpended balances remaining in said fund at the end of each fiscal year shall be appropriated only for the purposes of developing, maintaining, managing, operating and administering the division of fisheries and wildlife. Said fund, subject to appropriation, shall be used only as follows:--
(1) For the payment of general administrative expenses of the division.
(2) For acquiring, maintaining or leasing public fishing rights on land on inland streams and ponds, including stream management and the creation of new ponds.
(3) For acquiring, maintaining or leasing public hunting rights on land within the commonwealth.
(4) For biological surveys of the inland waters of the commonwealth.
(5) For propagation of game birds and fish.
(6) For salvaging and distributing game birds and fish.
(7) For acquisition and maintenance of wildlife sanctuaries and fish and wildlife management areas.
(8) For maintaining water resources to provide an adequate water supply for wildlife.
(9) For maintaining sources of food for game birds.
(10) For other general purposes of the division.
(11) For payment not to exceed one half of the amount necessary for personal services and other expenses for and on account of the enforcement of laws relating directly to game and inland fisheries, such amounts to be determined by the commissioner of administration.
see this thread for background.
http://striped-bass.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10051
I received a response from Frank Hynes regarding the Fishand Wildlife Funds::
Mike: Please find enclosed the information for which you are looking. I
myself have signed onto this proposal as a cosponsor. Frank Dear
Colleague,
As chairs of the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture,
we are writing to bring to your attention a matter of urgency in
avoiding the loss of federal monies to the commonwealth. As you may
already know, the FY04 budget repealed the Inland Fish and Game fund, a
dedicated fund from the sale of hunting, fishing and trapping permits
and fees, thus diverting all monies from this fund into the general
fund.
In years past, this fund has received a federal matching grant on the
order of $5 million, provided that monies from the fund are not
allocated for any use other than hunting, fishing, trapping and sporting
activities. The sportsmen, themselves, lobbied for raising the fees a
few years ago because they were used explicitly for hunting and fishing
purposes.
The FY04 budget included language requiring the comptroller to track the
expenditure of revenues from hunting and fishing permits and fees, but
the federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has just declared
Massachusetts to be ineligible for federal funds in FY04 because of the
potential to divert revenues for other, unapproved uses.
We have only 30 days to initiate corrective action before we become
ineligible for federal funds. Not only will our fish and game programs
suffer the loss of these federal funds, but they will be further
ineligible for further federal funds until the Commonwealth pays back
any diverted monies plus interest.
In a time of such fiscal crisis, forfeiting what is essentially free
money is intolerable. We have filed legislation to restore the Inland
Fish and Game fund as it stood prior to the FY04 budget, and it is
available in the House Clerk's office for co-sponsors to sign on. Please
contact the office of Representative Bill Greene if you have any
questions. The text of the legislation is attached below. Thank you for
your consideration.
Cordially,
William G. Greene, Jr. Pamela P. Resor
House Chairman, Joint Committee on Senate Chairwoman, Joint
Committee on
Natural Resources & Agriculture Natural Resource & Agriculture
And, here are the documents referred to.
RELATIVE TO THE INLAND FISH AND GAME FUND
Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2003 is hereby amended by striking Section 622.
SECTION 2. Chapter 131 of the general laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2B, the following section:
Section 2C. Monies received by the commonwealth from license fees, permit fees and from any and all sources pertaining to inland fishing, hunting and trapping from permit fees under the provisions of section twenty-two A, from any sale authorized in section six and sums received by the commonwealth from the federal government as reimbursement, grants in aid or other receipts on account of activities of the division, shall be credited on the books of the commonwealth to a fund to be known as the Inland Fisheries and Game Fund except that sums received for natural heritage and endangered species programs shall be credited to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species account, established by section thirty-four of Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2003; provided, however, that one dollar from the sale of each sporting, fishing, trapping and hunting license shall be credited to the wildlands acquisition account established by section two A of this chapter. All unexpended balances remaining in said fund at the end of each fiscal year shall be appropriated only for the purposes of developing, maintaining, managing, operating and administering the division of fisheries and wildlife. Said fund, subject to appropriation, shall be used only as follows:--
(1) For the payment of general administrative expenses of the division.
(2) For acquiring, maintaining or leasing public fishing rights on land on inland streams and ponds, including stream management and the creation of new ponds.
(3) For acquiring, maintaining or leasing public hunting rights on land within the commonwealth.
(4) For biological surveys of the inland waters of the commonwealth.
(5) For propagation of game birds and fish.
(6) For salvaging and distributing game birds and fish.
(7) For acquisition and maintenance of wildlife sanctuaries and fish and wildlife management areas.
(8) For maintaining water resources to provide an adequate water supply for wildlife.
(9) For maintaining sources of food for game birds.
(10) For other general purposes of the division.
(11) For payment not to exceed one half of the amount necessary for personal services and other expenses for and on account of the enforcement of laws relating directly to game and inland fisheries, such amounts to be determined by the commissioner of administration.