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AB-521 Hunting: elk tags: apprentice elk hunt tags: fees for residents.(2017-2018)

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Date Published: 06/26/2017 09:00 PM
AB521:v95#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  June 26, 2017
Amended  IN  Assembly  May 11, 2017
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 24, 2017
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 28, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 521

Introduced by Assembly Member Frazier

February 13, 2017

An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 332 of the Fish and Game Code, relating to hunting.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 521, as amended, Frazier. Hunting: elk tags: apprentice elk hunt tags: fees for residents.
Under existing law, a hunting license grants the privilege to take birds and mammals. Existing law authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue a tag that is required in addition to a hunting license to take an elk. Existing law sets the fee for an elk tag for a resident of the state at $165, as adjusted annually pursuant to a specified index.
This bill would reduce the fee for a resident an elk tag for a resident of the state to $100 and would prohibit the fee from being adjusted, except pursuant to an analysis of the fee to ensure that the appropriate fee amount is charged and a recommendation to the Legislature or the Fish and Game Commission that the fee be adjusted. The bill would also authorize the department, until January 1, 2024, to issue not more than 30 an apprentice elk hunt tags tag to residents a resident of the state for a fee of $20, and would prohibit any adjustment of that fee.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 332 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read:

332.
 (a) The commission may determine and fix the area or areas, the seasons and hours, the bag and possession limit, and the number of elk that may be taken under rules and regulations that the commission may adopt from time to time. The commission may authorize the taking of tule elk if the average of the department’s statewide tule elk population estimates exceeds 2,000 animals, or the Legislature determines, pursuant to the reports required by Section 3951, that suitable areas cannot be found in the state to accommodate that population in a healthy condition.
(b) Only a person possessing a valid hunting license may obtain a tag for the taking of elk.
(c) (1) The department may issue an elk tag upon payment of a fee.
(2) (A) The fee for an elk tag for a resident of the state state, except for an apprentice elk hunt tag, shall be one hundred dollars ($100) and shall not be adjusted pursuant to Section 713, except pursuant to the procedures set forth under subdivision (g) of that section.

(3)The department may issue not more than 30 apprentice elk hunt tags to residents of the state. The

(B) The fee for an apprentice elk hunt tag for a resident of the state shall be twenty dollars ($20) and shall not be adjusted pursuant to any provision of Section 713.

(4)

(3) On or before July 1, 2007, the commission shall, by regulation, fix the fee for an elk tag for a nonresident of the state at not less than one thousand fifty dollars ($1,050), as adjusted under Section 713.

(5)

(4) The fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended, in addition to moneys budgeted for salaries of the department department, as set forth in Section 3953.
(d) The commission shall annually direct the department to authorize not more than three elk hunting tags for the purpose of raising funds for programs and projects to benefit elk. These tags may be sold at auction to residents or nonresidents of the state or by another method and are not subject to the fee limitation prescribed in subdivision (c). All revenues from sales pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set forth in that section.
(e) The commission shall direct the department to annually authorize one elk tag of the total number of tags available for issuance to nonresidents of the state.
(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2024, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.

 Section 332 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read:

332.
 (a) The commission may determine and fix the area or areas, the seasons and hours, the bag and possession limit, and the number of elk that may be taken under rules and regulations that the commission may adopt from time to time. The commission may authorize the taking of tule elk if the average of the department’s statewide tule elk population estimates exceeds 2,000 animals, or the Legislature determines, pursuant to the reports required by Section 3951, that suitable areas cannot be found in the state to accommodate that population in a healthy condition.
(b) Only a person possessing a valid hunting license may obtain a tag for the taking of elk.
(c) (1) The department may issue an elk tag upon payment of a fee.
(2) The fee for an elk tag for a resident of the state shall be one hundred dollars ($100) and shall not be adjusted pursuant to Section 713, except pursuant to the procedures set forth under subdivision (g) of that section.
(3) On or before July 1, 2007, the commission shall, by regulation, fix the fee for an elk tag for a nonresident of the state at not less than one thousand fifty dollars ($1,050), as adjusted under Section 713.
(4) The fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended, in addition to moneys budgeted for salaries of the department department, as set forth in Section 3953.
(d) The commission shall annually direct the department to authorize not more than three elk hunting tags for the purpose of raising funds for programs and projects to benefit elk. These tags may be sold at auction to residents or nonresidents of the state or by another method and are not subject to the fee limitation prescribed in subdivision (c). All revenues from sales pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set forth in that section.
(e) The commission shall direct the department to annually authorize one elk tag of the total number of tags available for issuance to nonresidents of the state.
(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2024.