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House Finance advances SB 97 to create a big‑game guide concession program; some resident hunters oppose measure
Summary
SB 97 would establish a statewide concession program to limit commercial guide numbers on state land, modeled on federal concession systems; the committee moved the bill out with attached fiscal notes after hearing sponsor staff and reviewing agency costs and staffing needs.
Inti Harbison, staff to Senator Giesele (sponsor), told the House Finance Committee on May 13 that SB 97 seeks to implement a constitutionally sound concession program limiting the number of commercial big‑game guide operations on state land. "SB 97 seeks to solve the issues surrounding overcrowding, over utilization on state lands," Harbison said, and described the bill as the product of a work group including guides, stakeholders, and state agencies.
Committee staff presented fiscal notes from multiple departments. Brody Anderson summarized three fiscal notes: a small Department of Fish and Game operations item ($14,400) for regulation work; a Fish and Game Wildlife Conservation fiscal note showing $112,300 in personal services to add a wildlife biologist position for standing up the program; and a Department of Natural Resources fiscal note showing $341,600 with two new positions (natural resource manager and natural resource specialist) to implement and administer the concession program. All three fiscal notes identified unrestricted general funds (UGF) as the source and anticipated regulation changes to implement the program.
Representative Allard asked whether the committee had engaged resident hunters whose written letters oppose the bill; Harbison said the bill’s sponsor did not originate the legislation in the Senate Resources Committee and that the workgroup process had included stakeholder consultation. Several lawmakers asked to hold the bill if they wanted to consult additional stakeholders; Representative Ballard requested time to make phone calls and gather more information.
Representative Schrage moved SB 97, work order 34‑LS0445\A, out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. The motion carried with no objections. Committee staff instructed members to sign the committee report. The committee recessed and adjourned later after a short additional meeting; the chair noted further hearings scheduled the next day.
