DEER OR ELK BAITING; ALLOW                                                                    H.B. 4687:

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4687 (as reported with amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Michele Hoitenga

House Committee:  Government Operations

Senate Committee:  Government Operations

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to do the following:

-- Eliminate a provision requiring the Natural Resources Commission to issue an order concerning deer and elk feeding in Michigan.

-- Allow an individual to engage in deer or elk feeding, or in deer or elk baiting during the open seasons for those animals, if he or she did not deposit more than five gallons of feed at a site.

-- Prohibit an individual from engaging in deer or elk feeding or baiting in any county or deer management unit where bovine tuberculosis had been detected in deer, elk, or cattle.

-- Specify that the Department of Natural Resources could not prohibit an individual with a deer license from taking an antlered deer in any area of the State in which deer had tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

MCL 324.40102 et al.                                                       Legislative Analyst:  Jeff Mann

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Department of Natural Resources. Currently, the penalties for violating a ban on deer or elk feeding include imprisonment for up to 90 days or the assessment of fines, or both, and license revocation or the loss of the ability to purchase a hunting license. The extent to which allowing individuals to bait deer or elk would affect enforcement and prosecution costs, or fine revenue, is unknown. In addition, it is unclear whether allowing licensed individuals to take antlered deer in areas in which deer tested positive for CWD would have an impact on hunting license revenue. 

Date Completed:  11-13-19                                                Fiscal Analyst:  Abbey Frazier

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.