1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to game and fish; placing a surcharge on deer 
  1.3             licenses for the 1997 deer season; providing for 
  1.4             emergency deer feeding; establishing a $5 deer license 
  1.5             for contributors; providing for contributions for 
  1.6             emergency deer feeding; appropriating money. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [1997 DEER LICENSE SURCHARGE.] 
  1.9      A surcharge of $2 is added to the license fees under 
  1.10  Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.475, subdivisions 2, clauses 
  1.11  (4), (5), and (9), and 3, clauses (2), (3), and (7), for the 
  1.12  1997 license year, for statewide licenses and for licenses 
  1.13  issued for zones 1, 2, and 4.  Revenue from the surcharge shall 
  1.14  be credited to the game and fish fund.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, 
  1.15  section 97A.485, subdivision 7, shall not apply to the surcharge 
  1.16  imposed under this section.  
  1.17     Sec. 2.  [$5 RESIDENT DEER LICENSE FOR CONTRIBUTORS.] 
  1.18     Until May 1, 1997, the commissioner of natural resources 
  1.19  may accept contributions for the emergency feeding of deer in 
  1.20  1997.  The commissioner shall record the contributions and issue 
  1.21  decorative certificates of appreciation and receipts to persons 
  1.22  who contribute under this section.  The commissioner of natural 
  1.23  resources shall issue one deer license for the 1997 season under 
  1.24  Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.475, subdivision 2, clause (4) 
  1.25  or (5), at a total cost of $5 to each of the first 6,000 
  1.26  residents who contributes at least $50 under this section and 
  2.1   applies to the commissioner for the license.  The commissioner 
  2.2   must include an application for the license when the receipt of 
  2.3   contribution is issued to a resident who contributes at least 
  2.4   $50 under this section. 
  2.5      Sec. 3.  [DEER FEEDING STUDY.] 
  2.6      The commissioner, in consultation with the citizen 
  2.7   oversight committee appointed under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.8   97A.055, subdivision 4a, paragraph (b), clause (3), shall study 
  2.9   the costs associated with emergency deer feeding and shall 
  2.10  include the effect that the feeding project has on the deer 
  2.11  population. 
  2.12     Sec. 4.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.13     Subdivision 1.  [GAME AND FISH FUND.] $600,000 is 
  2.14  appropriated from the game and fish fund to the commissioner of 
  2.15  natural resources for emergency deer feeding in areas of zones 
  2.16  1, 2, and 4 affected by severe weather.  This appropriation is 
  2.17  in addition to money appropriated in Laws 1995, chapter 220, 
  2.18  section 5, subdivision 7, and Laws 1996, chapter 294, section 
  2.19  2.  The sum is available until expended. 
  2.20     Subd. 2.  [ADMINISTRATIVE APPROPRIATION.] $150,000 is 
  2.21  appropriated from the game and fish fund to the commissioner to 
  2.22  administer and evaluate the deer feeding programs in this act 
  2.23  and to diminish the impact of these programs on ongoing wildlife 
  2.24  management programs.  This appropriation is available until June 
  2.25  30, 1998. 
  2.26     Subd. 3.  [DEER FEEDING CONTRIBUTIONS.] All money received 
  2.27  under section 2 is appropriated to the commissioner for 
  2.28  emergency feeding, including administrative costs of the 
  2.29  contribution program under section 2, and is in addition to 
  2.30  money appropriated in Laws 1995, chapter 220, section 5, 
  2.31  subdivision 7, and Laws 1996, chapter 294, section 2. 
  2.32     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.33     This act is effective the day following final enactment.