Idaho bill H0032 any info?

Here's a message sent out by ISCAC. We're going to need the help of the Hunttalkers on this one with an email blast to the Idaho legislature.

The message:

Friends,

Last night at the Idaho Sportsmen’s Caucus Advisory Council (ISCAC) we learned about some very bad legislation that could be introduced at the Idaho Legislature. As you may already know, HB32, the Department’s original legislation asking for a 15-20% increase on license fees with an associated “Price Lock” proposal (that would be adopted separately by the Commission) is currently being held in the House Resource and Conservation Committee. Idaho Wildlife Federation supports this legislation.

We now have word from the Department that a new fee bill is being crafted and could be introduced sometime next week. This bill would have the fee increase but codify the price lock in the bill language as well as be an omnibus package of all the bad ideas that special interests have been trying to get implemented for years.

It would:

- Direct the Commission to implement a “Bonus Point” system for controlled hunts
- Direct the Commission to implement a “Governor’s Tag” auction tag for controlled hunt areas
- Institute a new Landowner Appreciation Program tag system in the following manner:
Landowners would receive tags depending on the acreage they own. They could market and sell these tags without IDFG seeing any of the proceeds and the tag could be used on the entire controlled hunt area.
- 640-5,000acres - 1 tag per species
-5,000-10,000acres - 2 tags per species
-Over 10,000acres - 3 tags per species

Additionally landowners with 320 acres and above would receive 1 tag per species for EACH of the following (Up to 3 tags per species)
- Providing some level of public access
- Habitat restoration
- Release of depredation claim

And finally, it will propose a major tweak to the way depredation kills are handled. Currently, landowners must get a tag from IDFG to retain a carcass from a depredation kill. This bill would make it so that once depredation is recognized by the Department, landowners can retain animals from depredation kill with no paperwork.

Upon hearing this, ISCAC members voted to ratify the following official statement:


"On March 4, 2015 a quorum of the Idaho Sportsman's Caucus Advisory Council voted unanimously to support the following statement.

The Idaho Sportsman's Caucus Advisory Council understands the House Resources and Conservation Committee is attempting to amend the IDF&G fee increase proposal to support private interests. ISCAC supports the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in its efforts to increase revenue for Idaho's wildlife in the form of House Bill 0032.

We oppose legislative attempts to circumvent the Idaho Fish and Game Commission's authority to manage Idaho's wildlife using science and public input as opposed to legislative whim. We are opposed to efforts to give private landowners the ability to sell hunting tags for public wildlife. We oppose the legislature mandating a "Governor's Auction Tag" and a "Bonus Point" system for controlled hunts. We oppose unregulated depredation kill by landowners.”

Even though IDFG is in desperate need of a fee increase, we as sportsmen and women cannot let the Legislature hold IDFG’s request hostage and implement bad policy. Things will happen fast over the next week to 10 days and we need to be ready to write emails to legislators and show up at committee hearings. We need to approach this with the same enthusiasm as we showed in our defense of public lands. WE NEED TO BE READY TO DEFEND OUR HUNTING AND OUTDOOR HERITAGE!!!!

In the meantime, write the Governor’s office and tell them you do not support the legislature bypassing the Commission that he has appointed. You can do so here http://gov.idaho.gov/ourgov/contact.html

There may only be 24 hours notice for committee hearings, so pay attention to emails and social media and prepare to act.

Please, forward this to all your friends that hunt, fish and enjoy Idaho’s wildlife.
 
These guys will see my name and hit delete, but fired off to them anyway. IF... I receive any response will let all know.



Start the emails with this group who is pushing the bill:

House side

Scott Bedke; 208-332-1111 [email protected]
Dell Raybould; 208-332-1173 [email protected]
Terry Gestrin; 208-332-1124 [email protected]
Mike Moyle; 3208-332-1120 [email protected]
Marc Gibbs; 208-332-1042 [email protected]

Senate Side

Steve Bair; 208-332-1385 [email protected]
Bert Brackett; 208-332-1336 [email protected]
Jeff Siddoway; 208-332-1342 [email protected]
 
I'll need a more concrete form of evidence of this before I start flinging emails to house and senate members. Is this information available anywhere public that this is happening?
 
Fish and game put it on their home page and sent an email as well. Just got off the phone with them.

Everyone who likes equality and would like to see their kids and grand kids draw a tag, let those involved know how you feel. I'm all for a reasonable fee increase but against points and selling tags to the highest bidder.
 
Email Blast from F&G:

March 11, 2015
Fish & Game Commission Process Should Be Protected
By Commissioners Fred Trevey (chairman), Mark Doerr (vice-chair), Brad Corkill, Blake Fischer, Lane Clezie, Kenny Anderson and Will Naillon

There appears to be a misperception among some Idaho lawmakers that the Fish and Game Commission has ignored prior legislative directives to raise revenue and improve habitat and access. These directives include allowing hunters to pay an extra fee to improve their drawing odds for controlled hunts (bonus points), making tags available to land owners for private sale, and auctioning big game tags to highest bidders.

We certainly respect the Legislature's role in setting wildlife policy but the Commission has considered all these issues in recent years and vetted each of them with hunters, anglers, trappers and the general public. In all three cases, a majority made it clear to us they were opposed and we acted accordingly. The Commission continues to explore these and other options and to visit with sportsmen and women about them. However, we have heard and are concerned these directives could become legislative mandates linked to our proposed license revenue bill.

The Commission-supported "Price Lock" revenue legislation — House Bill 32, is being held in a House Committee while some lawmakers are said to be working on their own version with these mandates included. If this new version of the bill emerges, it in our view, overrules the Commission process of using science and input from the public as the basis for implementing wildlife policy.

The 1938 citizens' initiative that created the Commission established nonpartisan fish and game management. If lawmakers proceed and attempt to bypass the Commission and implement these measures through legislation, they are compromising the spirit of that initiative by overruling extensive sportsmen involvement and thoughtful Commission deliberations.

As Commissioners, here are some common themes we often hear:

Manage wildlife for the good of all Idahoans, not just a privileged few.
Keep hunting, fishing & trapping opportunities available and affordable for everyday Idahoans.
Reward landowners for supporting wildlife habitat or public access without sacrificing state ownership of wildlife.
Keep politics out of wildlife management.

For 76 years, the Commission, along with sportsmen and women have worked together to create the tremendous wildlife resources and heritage we have in Idaho today. We ask the Legislature to pass the Commission-supported revenue bill without compromising the Commission's integrity and its management role.

The Commission urges you to contact your legislators and let them know what you think about this matter.
 
The main representative pushing this is the 2nd longest sitting member of the house and the house majority (Republican) leader. I consider myself a fairly strong Republican but I would never in good conscience vote for Moyle or several of his party mates currently in the legislature. Everyone should take the time to listen to or watch the live stream online at least once or twice just to hear what some of these legislators come up with. I wouldn't want some of these legislators bagging groceries and yet they are running the state.
 
Idaho Sportsmen need to unite to get some of the SFW sponsored legislators voted out of office.
 
Does that include the governor who appointed one of the SFW Idaho heads to the sage grouse task force?
 
How many times has Moyle run unopposed? The guy thinks he can do whatever he wants because no one even runs against him.
 
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