Brief ⁽¹⁾

SB 147 would increase the statutory maximum amounts charged by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks for various fees and eliminate all statutory minimum fees. The fee changes are listed in the following table:

Background

SB 147 was requested by the Department of Wildlife and Parks. The spokesperson from the Department testified that the last time the statutory limits on fees had been raised was 1989. The agency indicated that it was targeting fee increases for boat registration (boats are registered for three years) and wildlife through hunting and fishing licenses, combination licenses, lifetime licenses, nonresident licenses, and 24-hour fishing licenses. No increases are proposed for turkey permits, deer permits, antelope permits, or game tags.

The agency relies heavily on user fees to fund programs and operations for the Department. The agency indicates it expects a serious decline in the Wildlife Fee Fund balance in FY 2003. The agency estimates the Wildlife Fee Fund will comprise 62.4 percent of its budget for FY 2002.

As amended by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, the fee for commercial guide permits would be a maximum of $100 for residents and $250 for nonresidents.

The House Committee on Environment amended the bill by eliminating all statutory minimums in the fee categories and by increasing the resident and nonresident maximum fee for a commercial guide permit or associate guide permit to $250 for residents and to $1,000 for nonresidents.

The fiscal impact of the bill is as yet unknown, because the actual rates to be set within the statutory minimum and maximum level has not been determined by the Wildlife and Parks Commission. Fees are set through the agency's rules and regulations within the statutory limits.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext.cgi