House Bill No. 404

Introduced By _______________________________________________________________________________

A Bill for an Act entitled: "An Act dedicating $1 from the sale of each Montana wildlife conservation license to be used for a program administered by the department of fish, wildlife, and parks for the conservation of wildlife through predator control; establishing the predator control account; granting the department of fish, wildlife, and parks rulemaking authority to administer the wildlife conservation predator control program; requiring that a notice be placed on each conservation license stating that a portion of the fee will be used to conserve wildlife through the control of predators; amending section 87-2-202, MCA; and providing an immediate effective date."

STATEMENT OF INTENT

A statement of intent is required for this bill because [section 1] grants authority to the department of fish, wildlife, and parks to adopt rules to facilitate the efficient administration of the wildlife conservation predator control program. It is intended that the rules address, at a minimum:

(1) establishment of a predator bounty program to repay hunters and trappers who help conserve wildlife through the taking of predators, including a schedule of predator species for which compensation will be paid, a scale of compensation, and acceptable methods of identifying predators presented for bounty claims;

(2) a method that the department can apply to provide predator control in the field when notified by persons interested in eliminating predators for wildlife conservation;

(3) an accounting system to track money received and expended relative to the wildlife conservation predator control program, including a record of the department's expenditures in the field control of predators, an accounting of all money paid for bounties, a record of the number of each predator species for which a bounty is paid, and a record of the department's administrative costs in implementing the program; and

(4) any other rules that the department considers necessary for the efficient conservation and enhancement of wildlife through the control of predators.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:

NEW SECTION. Section 1.  Wildlife conservation predator control program. (1) There is a wildlife conservation predator control program. The department shall administer the program for the conservation and enhancement of Montana wildlife.

(2) The department shall expend the funds in the account established in [section 2] to establish a predator bounty program, to cover department expenses for predator control in the field, and for administrative expenses directly related to the wildlife conservation predator control program.

(3) The department shall adopt rules to facilitate the efficient administration of the wildlife conservation predator control program.

NEW SECTION. Section 2.  Predator control account -- funding. (1) There is a predator control special revenue account administered by the department within the state special revenue fund established in 17-2-102.

(2) There must be deposited in the account:

(a) $1 from the sale of each resident Montana wildlife conservation license sold pursuant to 87-2-202(3)(a); and

(b) $1 from the sale of each nonresident Montana wildlife conservation license sold pursuant to 87-2-202(3)(b).

(3) The department may spend funds in the account only to carry out the program provided for in [section 1].

Section 3.  Section 87-2-202, MCA, is amended to read:

"87-2-202.   Application -- stamp attachment -- fee -- expiration. (1) A wildlife conservation license must be sold upon written application. The application must contain the applicant's name, age, occupation, place of residence, post-office address, and the qualifying length of time as a resident in the state of Montana;, must state whether the applicant is a citizen of the United States or an alien;, and must be subscribed by the applicant. The applicant shall present a valid Montana driver's license, a Montana driver's examiner's identification card, or other identification specified by the department to substantiate the required information when applying for a wildlife conservation license. It is the applicant's burden to provide documentation establishing the applicant's identity and qualifications to purchase a wildlife conservation license. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor for a license agent to sell a wildlife conservation license to an applicant who fails to produce the required identification at the time of application for licensure.

(2)  Hunting, fishing, or trapping licenses in the form of tags or stamps issued to a holder of a wildlife conservation license must be affixed to or recorded on the wildlife conservation license according to rules the department may prescribe.

(3)  (a) Resident wildlife conservation licenses may be purchased for a fee of $4.

(b)  Nonresident wildlife conservation licenses may be purchased for a fee of $5.

(4)  Each wildlife conservation license must clearly indicate that a portion of the fee is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife through predator control.

(5) Licenses issued are void after the last day of February next succeeding their issuance."

NEW SECTION. Section 4.  Codification instruction. [Sections 1 and 2] are intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 87, chapter 1, part 2, and the provisions of Title 87, chapter 1, part 2, apply to [sections 1 and 2].

NEW SECTION. Section 5.  Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

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