Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildlife Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee approves Game and Fish fee changes, corrects clerical error to nonresident deer license
Summary
The committee adopted an amendment to House Bill 1470 that adjusts nonresident license fees and clarifies guide-and-outfitter language; the committee voted unanimously to advance the bill after Department testimony explaining license-funded operations.
Chairman Patton opened committee consideration of House Bill 1470, describing it as the bill addressing Game and Fish fees. The committee heard testimony from Jeb Williams, director of the Dakota Game and Fish Department, who described the agency as "a special funding agency" that operates on hunting and fishing license revenue and periodically updates fees.
The bill package includes modest fee increases and two amendments. Committee members identified a clerical error in the earlier version: a guide-and-outfitter provision still listed a nonresident fee of $250 where the nonresident deer license had been updated to $350. Jeb Williams said the $350 figure should be applied consistently and the department asked the committee to approve a clerical correction on page 4, line 4.
Senator Gearhart moved to adopt amendment 4,002 with the additional correction changing the guide-and-outfitter nonresident fee from $250 to $350; Senator Beard seconded. The clerk recorded the amendment vote as 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent. Senator Gearhart then moved a due pass on engrossed House Bill 1470 as amended; the motion passed on a 7–0 vote.
Committee discussion emphasized that the Game and Fish Department is funded by license sales and periodically requests modest fee increases to maintain federal matching and program operations. The transcript records the department’s explanation and the clerical correction; no opposition testimony was recorded in committee.
