State of Michigan DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Lansing
JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM governor		REBECCA A. HUMPHRIES director

BILL ANALYSIS

BILL NUMBER:	HOUSE BILL 4286, AS INTRODUCED
TOPIC:	Promotion of hunting on DNR-controlled land
SPONSOR:	Representative Nerat
CO-SPONSORS:	Representatives Melton, Byrnes, Rocca, Lindberg, Lahti, McDowell, Neumann, Bauer, Sheltrown, and Scripps
COMMITTEE:	Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources
Analysis Done:	February 27, 2009

POSITION

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) supports this legislation.

PROBLEM/BACKGROUND

As private lands are subdivided into smaller parcels that are generally less available for hunting, Michigan’s public land base is increasingly important to hunters for their recreation. Lack of readily accessible land that is open to hunting, is frequently identified as a reason for both reduced recruitment of new hunters and retention of seasoned hunters. Maintaining hunting opportunities on publicly-owned land is important to continuing the tradition of hunting in the state.

DESCRIPTION OF BILL

House Bill 4286 amends Section 504 of 1994 PA 451, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, to assure that lands under the control of the DNR remain open to hunting, except where public safety, homeland security, and/or fish and wildlife management are overriding concerns. House Bill 4286 also requires the DNR to manage lands under its control to promote hunting opportunities, to prevent a decrease in acreage of DNR-managed land open to hunting, and to prepare an annual report to the legislature detailing any changes in DNR-managed lands that have been opened or closed to hunting during the previous year.

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENTS

Pro

Assuring that state-controlled lands remain open to hunting will provide continued opportunity for hunters to enjoy, appreciate, and responsibly utilize the natural resources of the state. The promotion of hunting on state-controlled lands will provide increased emphasis on hunting-related tourism, help maintain hunter numbers, and enhance wildlife-related recreation on DNR-controlled land.

Con

Providing the legislature with an annual report will require development of a mechanism for tracking changes in hunting designation (open/closed) for lands the DNR controls. That will increase the administrative workload at a time when monetary support for DNR programs is declining.

FISCAL/ECONOMIC IMPACT

Are there revenue or budgetary implications in the bill to the --

(a) Department

Budgetary:

None

Revenue:

None

Comments:

None

(b) State

Budgetary:

None

Revenue:

None

Comments:

None

(c) Local Government

Comments:

None

OTHER STATE DEPARTMENTS

None

ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION

The building of residential structures on private land near DNR-controlled land boundaries, with the resultant 450-foot safety zone adjacent to the buildings does not technically close the DNR-controlled land to hunting, but since the residential owner’s permission must be obtained to hunt within a safety zone, such residential development annually limits the acreage available to public hunting to a much greater degree than DNR closures.

ADMINISTRATIVE RULES IMPACT

Rules can be promulgated to provide for administration of the act.

_______________________________

Rebecca A. Humphries

Director

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Date

WLD/OLAF