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Who cares
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Sponsors
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History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, the vehicle and traffic law and the state finance law, in relation to the habitat and access stamp and the conserve habitat license plate
Purpose
This bill is intended to restore, preserve, and revitalize New York's desired game and non-game fish and wildlife populations. The habitat stamp program is made mandatory for nonresidents who wish to obtain a hunting or fishing license in New York. The stamp is still voluntary for New York residents, but the fee is increased from
$S to $10. The bill will also increase public access to public and private lands for the purpose of hunting, fishing, and trapping. By requiring out of state licensed sportsman to purchase a $10 habitat and access stamp, and continuing the voluntary commemorative stamp program with a cost not to exceed $10 per stamp, the state is expected to generate approximately 2 million dollars annually for conservation funds.
Read the full memo (632 words)
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends subdivision 17 of section 11-0305 of the environmental conservation law, to require the purchase and possession of a habitat and access stamp for non residents in order to take fish and wildlife. The existing voluntary habitat stamp fee is raised from $5 to $10 for residents. The department is authorized to make the habitat and access stamp available through departmental offices and at participating outdoor recreation dealers and educational retailers approved by the department. Section 2: Makes technical changes. Section 3 and section 4: Amends EL Sections 11-0703 and 11-0713 to require that non residents over the age of 16 must first obtain a habit and access stamp prior to obtaining a fishing or hunting license in the state. Section S: Specifies that monies received from the distinctive "conserve habitat plate" issued by the department of motor vehicles be deposited specifically to the habitat account of the conservation fund. Section 6: Creates the habitat account within the conservation fund and provides that 5O% of the revenues raised from the habitat and access stamp be deposited into the habitat account.
Justification
New York State is currently experiencing a consistent loss of habitat and access. The state's farm and grasslands are reverting to forests at an alarming rate, endangering the species inhabiting these environments. This negative trend will continue until a feasible habitat management plan is adopted. Concerning access, the majority of habitat acreage in New York State belongs to private landowners, who would be more receptive to public access agreements in exchange for habitat management projects on their lands. In 2002, the voluntary habitat stamp program was created. The program was intended to fund habitat and access conservation projects designed to conserve fish and wildlife abundance, as well as increase public access to public and private lands for fish and wildlife related recreation.
Unfortunately, the program's success was marginalized during the introductory period due to the inability to market and promote the stamps to license agents and sportsman. By increasing the cost of a stamp and requiring non resident sportsman to purchase the a habitat and access stamp, New York would join at least 31 states currently enforcing a mandatory habitat access program. In addition, the State Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Resources (FWMR) will gain approximately 2 million dollars annually for conservation projects related to habitat retention and enhancement. While awareness of the volunteer stamp program and its benefits have risen, the program's impact will be limited until purchase of the stamp is mandatory for all out of state licensed hunters, trappers, and fisherman.
Legislative history
2008: S.6974A- recommitted to Environmental Conservation/A.10635A - recommitted to Environmental Conservation
Fiscal implications
Additional 2 million dollars for state habitat conservation programs.
Local fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.