HOUSE BILL NO.      

Predator control fees.

Sponsored by:  Joint Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to relating to agriculture and animals; providing for a special meeting of a predatory animal control district; allowing for an increase in the predator control fee on cattle as specified; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1.  W.S. 11-6-210(a) and  by creating a new subsection (m) is amended to read:

11-6-210.  Creation of predatory animal district fund; predatory animal control fees; donations; appropriation by county commissioners.

(a)  At the time of collecting brand inspection fees imposed under W.S. 11-20-401 and 11-20-402, the brand inspector shall collect predatory animal control fees on all sheep and cattle inspected within each predatory animal district. However, predator control fees shall not be collected on cattle and sheep shipped into this state for immediate sale or slaughter. The amount of the fee for each predatory animal district shall be established by each predatory animal district board in consultation with the state predatory animal advisory board and shall not exceed eighty cents ($.80) per head on sheep and twenty cents ($0.20) fifty cents ($0.50) per head on cattle.  Each predatory animal district board shall annually determine the predatory animal control fee to be charged and collected in the district based upon a majority vote of the producers present at the district's annual meeting as provided for in W.S. 11-6-203 and shall inform the livestock board of the fee prior to January 1 each year. The fee shall not be collected on the same livestock more than once in any twelve (12) month period.  The livestock board may retain not to exceed three percent (3%) of the revenues collected for the cost of administering the program. Remaining revenues collected by the livestock board under this section shall be remitted to the state treasurer for deposit in an account within the earmarked revenue fund.  The state treasurer, on a quarterly basis, shall distribute the revenues to the county treasurer of the county from which the shipment originated unless, at the time of payment of the fees, the livestock owner designates the fees to be distributed in total to another county in this state in which the livestock are fed or pastured.  The county treasurer shall deposit revenues distributed under this subsection into a special continuing fund, to be known as the "Predatory Animal District Fund of .... County" and to be administered by the predatory animal board of that district.

     (m) After July 1, 2002 and before December 1, 2002, a predatory animal district board may hold a special meeting during which an adjustment of the predatory animal control fee set under subsection (a) of this section may be made for the balance of calendar year 2002.  The special meeting shall be held pursuant to the procedures found in W.S. 11-6-203 (a)(ii) and (iii) except that the notice shall state the time and place and that a fee increase shall be considered.  The board shall immediately notify in writing the livestock board of any fee adjustment made under this subsection.  The fee adjustment shall take effect thirty (30) days after the date of mailing of the notice to the livestock board and shall remain in effect through December 31, 2002.

Section 2. This act is effective July 1, 2002

(END)