Bill No.: HB0018                  Drafter:  DKG

LSO No.:  04LSO-0011.E2           Effective Date:  

Enrolled Act No.:  HEA0062

Chapter No.:       Governor Vetoed

Prime Sponsor:     Joint Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources Interim Committee

Catch Title:       Wildlife compensation pilot projects.

Subject:  Authorizes pilot projects to compensate landowners for damage caused by wildlife.

Summary/Major Elements:

·        Requires the game and fish department and commission to establish at least one and up to five pilot projects to compensate landowners for wildlife damages.

• Specifies potential compensation methods, including damage payments based on acreage, animal unit month calculations, site specific forage damages or case-by-case stewardship agreements with landowners. 

• Exempts from the regular damage provisions compensation paid pursuant to a pilot project.

• Specifies that the intent of the act is to gather further information on a fair method of compensating landowners for damages caused by wildlife.

• Provides an appropriation to the game and fish for the act.

• Provides that lands leased by the game and fish commission under a wildlife stewardship pilot project shall be levied and assessed as agricultural land.

• Sunsets the pilot project authority as of January 1, 2009.

Comments:

Requires the game and fish department to report to the legislature on the projects and recommendations not later than May 1, 2009.