Bill Text: CT HB06047 | 2015 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Providing Proper Funding For State Hatcheries.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2015-05-31 - Senate Calendar Number 639 [HB06047 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2015-HB06047-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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January Session, 2015 |
*_____HB06047FIN___051915____* |
AN ACT PROVIDING PROPER FUNDING FOR STATE HATCHERIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2015) (a) There is established the Connecticut Fish Hatcheries and Recreational Fisheries Trust to promote and enhance the funding of the state's fish hatcheries and the state's recreational fisheries programs. The trust shall receive and hold all payments and deposits or contributions intended for the trust, including gifts, donations, bequests, endowments or federal, state or local grants and any other funds from any public or private source and all earnings until disbursed in accordance with subsection (d) of this section.
(b) The amounts on deposit in the trust shall not constitute property of the state and the trust shall not be construed to be a department, institution or agency of the state. Amounts on deposit in the trust shall not be commingled with state funds and the state shall have no claim to or against, or interest in, such funds. Any contract entered into by or any obligation of the trust shall not constitute a debt or obligation of the state and the state shall have no obligation to any designated beneficiary or any other person on account of the trust and all amounts obligated to be paid from the trust shall be limited to amounts available for such obligation on deposit in the trust. The amounts on deposit in the trust may only be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this section. The trust shall continue in existence as long as it holds any deposits or has any obligations and until its existence is terminated by law and upon termination any unclaimed assets shall return to the state.
(c) The State Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt, maintenance, administration, investing and disbursements of amounts from the trust. The trust shall not receive deposits in any form other than cash. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may not direct the investment of any contributions or amounts held in the trust.
(d) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall direct the State Treasurer to disburse funds from the trust for the funding of the state's fish hatcheries and the state's recreational fisheries programs. The commissioner may determine the requisite amount and timing for any such disbursement. Any disbursement from the trust shall be for the purpose of funding the state's fish hatcheries and the state's recreational fisheries programs.
Sec. 2. Section 26-27 of the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (j) as follows (Effective July 1, 2015):
(NEW) (j) Any fishing license application issued or utilized by the commissioner pursuant to this part shall, in addition to any other information prescribed by the commissioner, contain a check box that enables an applicant to elect to make a donation to the Connecticut Fish Hatcheries and Recreational Fisheries Trust, established pursuant to section 1 of this act. Any such donation to the trust shall be made in addition to the requisite fee for such fishing license. Any donation to the trust that is received by the commissioner pursuant to this subsection shall be transferred by the commissioner to the State Treasurer for deposit in said trust provided nothing in this subsection shall be construed to restrict or limit the commissioner's authority to otherwise receive gifts, donations, bequests, endowments or federal, state or local grants and any other funds from any public or private source for deposit into said trust.
Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to study the sustainability of the state's recreational fisheries. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of all issues that affect and threaten the sustainability of the state's recreational fisheries. Additionally, such task force shall make a recommendation on a dedicated source of revenue for funding the Connecticut Fish Hatcheries and Recreational Fisheries Trust established pursuant to section 1 of this act. In developing such recommendation, the task force shall examine the feasibility of dedicating a percentage of all recreational fishing license fees for deposit in such trust.
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;
(7) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee;
(8) Two persons appointed by the Governor; and
(9) The cochairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment, or said cochairpersons' designees.
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.
(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.
(g) Not later than February 1, 2016, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or February 1, 2016, whichever is later.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
July 1, 2015 |
New section |
Sec. 2 |
July 1, 2015 |
26-27 |
Sec. 3 |
from passage |
New section |
ENV |
Joint Favorable Subst. |
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FIN |
Joint Favorable |