HB 85: Game and Fish Funding
2007 General Session

Sponsor: Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee

HB 85 proposed a one-year appropriation of $5.66 million from the general fund to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, to be used for specified programs that benefit Wyoming citizens in general, regardless of whether they hunt or fish.

Spending of the general fund money would have been restricted to sensitive species programs (including terrestrial and aquatic native nongame species and trophy game conflict resolution); habitat programs; conservation education programs; sage grouse planning and protection; and veterinary programs (including brucellosis, chronic wasting disease and other disease management programs).

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission would have been required to report expenditures of the appropriation and to identify additional funding needs for these or other appropriate nontraditional programs to the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee.

The House amended HB 85 to specifically prohibit spending any of the general fund appropriation to purchase property, and reduced the appropriation from $5.66 million to $2.83 million. With these changes, the House passed HB 85, 50-9 (1 excused).

The Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee passed HB 85, 4-1. Senator Hank Coe (R-S18, Cody) cast the NO vote. The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously passed the bill, which then died on general file in the Senate when it was not scheduled for debate or votes.

The votes listed below are the House third reading (final passage) votes. A YES vote means the representative supported a one-time appropriation of $2.83 million from the general fund to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, to be used for specific nontraditional programs. A NO vote mans the representative did not support providing this money to the Department.

Engrossed