Game and fish department funding.

WORKING DRAFT
2005
STATE OF WYOMING
05LSO-0283

SENATE FILE
NO.
SF0037

Game and fish department funding.

Sponsored by:
Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to game and fish; providing an appropriation for game and fish department funding; specifying uses of the funds; providing for future requested funding; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

(a)

There is appropriated to the game and fish commission from the general fund six million one hundred forty-one thousand dollars ($6,141,000.00) for the period commencing July 1, 2005 and ending June 30, 2006. The funds appropriated under this act shall be placed in a separate account and notwithstanding W.S. 23
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501(b) shall not be placed within the game and fish fund created in W.S. 23
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501(b). The funds may be expended by the game and fish commission in the manner authorized by law for expenditures from the game and fish fund subject to the following:

(i)

To fund existing game and fish department programs, four million five hundred ninety-five thousand dollars ($4,595,000.00) of the appropriation under this act shall be used as follows:

(A)

Within the wildlife division:

(I)

Four hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($425,000.00) shall be used for the existing
terrestrial native species program. These funds shall be used for five (5) existing permanent positions and other program needs;

(II)

Two
hundred thirty-five thousand dollars ($235,000.00) shall be used for the existing
trophy game conflict resolution program. These funds shall be used for two (2) existing permanent positions and one-half (.5) of an existing at-will contract employee position and other program needs;

(III)

One
hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) shall be used for the existing
terrestrial habitat extension program. These funds shall be used for two (2) existing permanent positions and one-half (.5) of an existing at-will contract employee position and other program needs;

(IV)

Eight hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($825,000.00) shall be used for the existing terrestrial habitat management program. These funds shall be used for eleven (11) existing permanent positions and other program needs.

(B)

Within the fish division:

(I)

One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) shall be used for the existing aquatic native species program. These funds shall be used for one (1) existing permanent position and other program needs;

(II)

Eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000.00) shall be used for the existing aquatic habitat management program. These funds shall be used for ten (10) existing permanent positions, one (1) existing at-will contract employee position and other program needs.

(C)

Within the services division:

(I)

Three hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($375,000.00) shall be used for the existing program to coordinate hunting and fishing workshops and similar events. These funds shall be used for five (5) existing permanent positions and other program needs;

(II)

Six hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($675,000.00) shall be used for existing publication services. These funds shall be used for four (4) existing permanent positions and other program needs;

(III)

Eighty-five thousand dollars ($85,000.00) shall be used for the existing wildlife habitat imaging technology program. These funds shall be used for one (1) existing permanent position and other program needs.

(D)

Within the fiscal division:

(I)

Six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000.00) shall be used for the cost allocations charged to the game and fish department by other state agencies;

(II)

Two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($275,000.00) shall be used for the allocation of the SALECS functions for the programs specified in this section.

(ii)

One million five hundred forty-six thousand dollars ($1,546,000.00) of the appropriation under this act shall be used to fund new or expanded programs. The game and fish commission is authorized to fund not more than twenty-four (24) additional full-time positions with the funds designated under this paragraph. The funds designated under this paragraph shall be expended only for the following:

(A)

For the expansion of any of the programs identified under subparagraphs (i)(A) through (C) of this subsection, or for the expansion of the aquatic habitat extension services to landowners to benefit aquatic wildlife habitat;

(B)

For the creation of new game and fish department programs specified under this subparagraph:

(I)

Within the fish division, a program to address issues relating to aquatic nuisance species which pose a threat to the state's ecosystems;

(II)

Within the office of the director:

(1)

A program to address issues relating to energy and transportation infrastructure development and coordination with wildlife issues.

(III)

Within the services division:

(1)

A program for grants management.
(iii)

The game and fish commission shall use funds appropriated under this act for the programs and positions specified, including payment of salary and all employer paid benefits.

(b)

The game and fish commission shall submit a request for continued state general funding of the programs and positions specified in this act for the fiscal biennium commencing July 1, 2006. The request for continued state general funding of these programs shall be submitted in accordance with and subject to the budgeting process for state agencies under W.S. 9
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1001 through 9
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1014.

Section 2.
W.S. 9
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1002(a)(iii) and 9
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1010(a)(iii) are amended to read:

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1002.

Definitions; powers generally; duties of governor; provisions construed; cooperation with legislature and judiciary; divisions enumerated.

(a)

As used in this act:

(iii)

"Entity" means any governmental unit, special district, corporation, partnership or person which will receive a legislative appropriation, directly or indirectly, excluding the legislature, the judiciary and the Wyoming department of transportation, game and fish department
for appropriations other than from the general fund
, counties, municipalities and school districts;

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1010.

Duties of budget division; biennial budgets and appropriations.

(a)

The department through the budget division shall:

(iii)

Consult with each entity which will require a legislative appropriation either directly or indirectly, excluding the Wyoming highway
department,
and
excluding the
game and fish
departments
department for appropriations other than from the general fund
, in submitting budget estimates or requests for funds, or for instituting, recording and reporting all financial and budget transactions of the state.

Section 3.
This act is effective July 1, 2005.

(END)

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SF0037