HOUSE BILL No. 5779


     March 7, 2002, Introduced by Reps. Mead, Sheltrown, Pumford, Jelinek, Spade, Mans, Ehardt, Allen, Van Woerkom and Bradstreet
and referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Resource Management.


        A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

   "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

   by amending section 43553 (MCL 324.43553), as amended by 1996

   PA 585, and by adding section 43556a.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

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             Sec. 43553.  (1) Except as provided in sections 43555,  and

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        43556, AND 43556A, the department shall transmit all money

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        received from the sale of licenses to the state treasurer,

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        together with a statement indicating the amount of money received

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        and the source of the money.

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             (2) The game and fish protection fund is created as a sepa-

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        rate fund in the department of treasury.  Except as provided in

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        subsection (5), the state treasurer shall credit the money

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        received from the sale of passbooks and licenses to the game and

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        fish protection fund.


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             (3) Except as provided in sections 43524, 43525,  43531,

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        43554, and 43556 and subsection (4), money credited to the game

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        and fish protection fund shall be paid out by the state treasurer

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        pursuant to the accounting laws of this state for the following

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        purposes:

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             (a) Services rendered by the department, together with the

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        expenses incurred in the enforcement and administration of the

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        game, fish, and fur laws of the state, including the necessary

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        equipment and apparatus incident to the operation and enforcement

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        of the game, fish, and fur laws, and the protection, propagation,

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        distribution, and control of game, fish, birds, fur-bearing ani-

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        mals, and other wildlife forms.

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             (b) The propagation and liberation of game, fur-bearing ani-

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        mals, birds, or fish and for their increase at the time, place,

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        and manner as the department considers advisable.

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             (c) The purchase, lease, and management of lands, together

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        with the necessary equipment for the purpose of propagating and

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        rearing game, fur-bearing animals, birds, or fish, and for estab-

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        lishing and maintaining game refuges, wildlife sanctuaries, and

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        public shooting and fishing grounds.

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             (d) Conducting investigations and compiling and publishing

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        information relative to the propagation, protection, and conser-

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        vation of wildlife.

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             (e) Delivering lectures, developing cooperation, and carry-

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        ing on appropriate educational activities relating to the conser-

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        vation of the wildlife of this state.





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             (4) The department may make direct grants to colleges and

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        universities in this state, out of funds appropriated from the

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        game and fish protection fund, to conduct fish or wildlife

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        research or both fish and wildlife research.

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             (5) The youth hunting and fishing education and outreach

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        fund is created as a separate fund in the department of

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        treasury.  The state treasurer shall credit to the youth hunting

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        and fishing education and outreach fund the money received from

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        the sale of small game licenses and all-species fishing licenses

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        under sections 43523 and 43532, respectively, to persons who are

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        12 years of age through 16 years of age.  Money in the youth

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        hunting and fishing education and outreach fund at the close of

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        the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse to

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        the general fund.

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             (6) Money credited to the youth hunting and fishing educa-

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        tion and outreach fund shall be paid out by the state treasurer

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        pursuant to the accounting laws of this state for hunting and

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        fishing education and outreach programs for youth through 16

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        years of age.

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             (7) The department and any other executive department of the

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        state that receives money from the game and fish protection fund

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        or the youth hunting and fishing education and outreach fund

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        shall submit an annual report to the legislature showing the

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        amount of money received by the department or other executive

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        department from the game and fish protection fund or the youth

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        hunting and fishing education and outreach fund and how that

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        money was spent.  An executive department required to submit a



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        report as provided in this subsection shall send a copy of the

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        report to the legislature and to the department.

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             SEC. 43556A.  (1) THE CROP DAMAGE FUND IS CREATED WITHIN THE

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        STATE TREASURY.  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PAY INTO THE FUND $1.00 PER

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        LICENSE ISSUED UNDER SECTIONS 43525A, 43526, AND 43527.  THE

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        STATE TREASURER MAY RECEIVE MONEY OR OTHER ASSETS FROM ANY OTHER

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        SOURCE FOR DEPOSIT INTO THE FUND.  THE STATE TREASURER SHALL

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        DIRECT THE INVESTMENT OF THE FUND.  THE STATE TREASURER SHALL

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        CREDIT TO THE FUND INTEREST AND EARNINGS FROM FUND INVESTMENTS.

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        MONEY IN THE FUND AT THE CLOSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR SHALL REMAIN IN

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        THE FUND AND SHALL NOT LAPSE TO THE GENERAL FUND.

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             (2) THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHALL ADMINISTER THE FUND

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        AND SHALL EXPEND MONEY FROM THE FUND, UPON APPROPRIATION, ONLY

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        FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING FARMERS IN CONSTRUCTING NEW FENCES

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        OR OTHER DEVICES AND MAINTAINING EXISTING FENCES OR OTHER DEVICES

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        DESIGNED TO REDUCE CROP DAMAGE CAUSED BY DEER.  THE ASSISTANCE

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        SHALL BE IN THE FORM OF GRANTS TO QUALIFIED FARMERS.

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             (3) THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHALL PROMULGATE RULES TO

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        SET QUALIFICATIONS FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS.



















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