Colorado Legislative Council Staff

STATE

REVISED FISCAL IMPACT

(replaces fiscal impact dated February 24, 1999)

Drafting Number:

Prime Sponsor(s):

LLS 99-0725

Rep. Alexander

Sen. Teck

Date:

Bill Status:

Fiscal Analyst:

March 25, 1999

House Appropriations

Steve Tammeus (866-2756)

 

TITLE:            CONCERNING THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, CHANGING THE MEETING SCHEDULE, OPERATION, AND COMPOSITION OF THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION.


Fiscal Impact Summary

FY 1999/2000

FY 2000/2001

State Revenues

General Fund

 


 

State Expenditures

Cash Fund


$8,077


$8,077

FTE Position Change

0.0 FTE

0.0 FTE

Other State Impact: None

Effective Date: January 1, 2000

Appropriation Summary for FY 1999-2000:

Department of Natural Resources - $8,077 and 0.0 FTE - Wildlife Cash Fund

Local Government Impact: None



Summary of Legislation


            This bill (as amended by the House Agriculture Committee, February 17, 1999) revises statutory provisions governing the membership of the Wildlife Commission in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The bill does not change the number of the members appointed by the Governor to the commission, but revises the categories of membership and the number of members to represent those categories. The bill specifies a manner for the Governor and the commission to request removal of a member.


            The amended bill increases the number of members on the commission from eight to ten by adding the Commissioner of Agriculture and the Executive Director of the DNR, or their designees, as ex-officio nonvoting members.


            The bill increases the number of regular meetings the commission must conduct from two to six and requires the commission to hold workshops during six specified months. Additionally, each commissioner is to hold at least two public meetings per year in his or her district.


State Expenditures


            Regular meetings and workshops. This bill conforms statutes to the existing practices of the Wildlife Commission with regard to the number of regular meetings and workshops the commission conducts during each year. Therefore, these provisions of the bill will not affect the commission's annual expenditures against the Wildlife Cash Fund.


            Public meetings. The bill requires each of the commission members to conduct at least two public meetings per year in their respective districts. The DNR assumes the two ex-officio members will not be required to conduct these public meetings. The DNR estimates the total costs to support 16 additional meetings for eight members per year to be $877. This cost estimate is based upon the following assumptions:

               that only local DOW staff will attend the meetings at no extra cost; and

               administrative expenses for meeting room accommodations, public notices, meeting documentation, and travel will be kept at a minimum.


            Ex-officio members. Current law authorizes the commission members to be paid per diem and be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses. Ex-officio members, as state employees, are not paid per diem. However, the addition of the two ex-officio members will increase annual operating expenditures for travel expenses to commission meetings held throughout the state. On average, the commission conducts seven of the twelve regular meetings outside the metro-Denver area. Of these seven meeting dates, two would require air travel and five would require vehicle travel. Commission meetings usually require two or three overnight stays in each locale. The total annual reimbursable costs for the two ex-officio members is estimated to be $7,200.


            Cost summary. The total Wildlife Cash Fund cost to support the public meetings and the travel expenses of the ex-officio members is estimated to be $8,077 for FY 1999-2000 and FY 2000-01.



State Appropriations


            This fiscal note would imply the Department of Natural Resources will require a Wildlife Cash Fund spending authority of $8,077 for FY 1999-2000.



Departments Contacted

 

            Agriculture     Natural Resources      State Controller