HUNTING: TRANQUILIZER BAN S.B. 531: FLOOR ANALYSIS


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Senate Bill 531 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Michelle A. McManus
Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs

CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 401 (Wildlife Conservation) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to prohibit anyone other than the Department of Natural Resources from taking game using a tranquilizer propelled from a bow or firearm.

A person who violates a provision of Part 401 regarding the taking of game is guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition to the costs of prosecution, violations are punishable as shown in Table 1.


Table 1

Type of Game Imprisonment Fine
  Deer, bear, wild turkeya Five-90 days $200-$1,000
Elkb 30-180 days $500-$2,000
Moosea 90 days-one year $1,000-$5,000
All other gameb 0-90 days $100-$1,000
aPunishable by imprisonment and a fine bPunishable by imprisonment and/or a fine


Proposed MCL 324.40111c Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on local government. There are no data to indicate how many offenders would be convicted of taking game using a tranquilizer propelled from a bow or firearm. Local governments would incur the costs of misdemeanor probation and incarceration in local facilities, which vary by county. Additional penal fine revenue would benefit public libraries.


Date Completed: 2-13-08 Fiscal Analyst: Lindsay Hollander

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb531/0708