By Kelly House
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- Lawmakers are considering bills to raise hunting, fishing, and boating fees and switch to an ‘opt-out’ recreation passport
- If approved, the bills would boost Department of Natural Resources revenue by tens of millions of dollars
- Detractors warn the effort could backfire
LANSING — Michigan Democrats are considering legislation to increase fees for hunting, fishing and boating by 30% or more, and automatically charge drivers for a state park pass when auto registrations are renewed.
The proposed changes would raise tens of millions of dollars for the state Department of Natural Resources, which regulates hunting and fishing and manages Michigan’s 103 state parks. State officials say the parks system has a $200 million maintenance backlog, and fish and wildlife programs have endured budget cuts amid funding shortages.
“We can’t sustain our parks without a change,” said Rep. Julie Brixie, D-Meridian Township, during a recent hearing on one of several bills that aim to boost revenue.
Drivers can now choose to buy a recreation passport during registration renewals, but Brixie’s House Bill 5428 would automatically charge them the annual $14 per-car fee ($7 for motorcycles) unless they opt out. Separate legislation would raise hunting, fishing and boating license fees across the board.
The legislation is receiving pushback from Republican lawmakers, who blasted the proposals in a Dec. 5 letter to DNR Director Scott Bowen.
“We urge you to explore alternative funding mechanisms that are honest and do not place the financial burden solely on the shoulders of outdoor enthusiasts,” wrote Rep. Dave Prestin of Cedar River in a letter co-signed by nine colleagues.
This is the last month lawmakers can act on legislation before leadership changes in January, so the proposals could face long odds.
Opt-out recreation passport?
Parks department officials say Brixie’s bill could generate millions for state parks by automatically charging residents for the annual parks pass unless they opt out.
It’s part of a three-bill package that cleared the House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee on Thursday and now heads to the House floor.
Only 38% of drivers now buy park passes when they renew licenses.
Parks officials say recreation passports generate $42 million in revenue annually, which is split between state parks, local parks and other priorities. Parks visits by out-of-staters add another roughly $6.6 million.
That’s not enough to operate and maintain Michigan’s state park system, Bowen told lawmakers last week.
“We accumulate $45 million every year in the added maintenance costs,” he said. “Meeting those mounting needs will continue to be a challenge.”
The system faces an annual $30 million shortfall, DNR Parks Chief Ron Olson said. DNR officials believe an opt-out system would boost participation to 60%, generating $17 million in new revenue and driving the shortfall down to $13 million.
Michigan’s general fund once covered 68% of the state park systems’ budget, but lawmakers over the years have cut those funds to 3% of a $130.5 million annual budget. That has left parks with crumbling roads, unkempt trails and outdated facilities.
The advent of the recreation passport in 2010 generated new revenue, but not enough to balance the parks budget, said Taylor Ridderbusch, the DNR’s executive policy adviser.
A companion bill would reallocate proceeds from park passes, dedicating more of the money to local parks if at least 55% of vehicle owners opt-in. The package would also make state parks free for honorably discharged veterans and active-duty military members, and would give residents a new option to donate to the parks system.
Hunting and fishing fee increases
House Bill 6229, sponsored by Democratic Reps. Amos O’Neal, Laurie Pohutsky and Penelope Tsernoglou, would increase hunting and fishing license fees across the board, with some fees rising by more than 50%.
Michigan’s current fee structure has remained unchanged since 2014 while inflation has increased the cost of state fish and game management. The price of fish feed at state hatcheries is up more than 80% since 2018, Ridderbusch said.
“We’ve cut back on some of the work that we do to try and make the numbers work,” he said, and some division budgets have been slashed by 30%.
Hunting and fishing licenses are a major DNR revenue source, bringing in $65 million annually to fund fish hatcheries, wildlife refuges and other species management and habitat conservation efforts. Ridderbusch estimated the proposed fee hikes would boost revenue by $22 million a year.
The bill would:
- Allow the DNR to charge for a permit fee for state-owned shooting ranges. The money would go into a fund to help operate and maintain ranges and provide shooting education programs.
- Increase the cost of all hunting and fishing licenses. The combo license that covers the cost of a base license, an all-species fishing license, and two deer licenses would rise 50% to $113 from $75 for resident adults. Individually, the resident adult base license would rise 33% to $15 from $10, the deer license would increase to $30 to $20, and the all-species fishing license would rise 52% to $38 from $25. Fees for other hunting licenses would also increase.
- Annually increase license fees by the rate of inflation.
- Decrease the senior discount for licenses to 25% from 60%.
- Ask license applicants if they want to contribute $25 to a fund that supports conservation projects.
Boating fee increases
House Bill 6230, sponsored by Pohutsky and Tsernoglou, would raise boat registration fees across the board.
For instance, the fee for a motorboat or pontoon between 21 and 28 feet long would increase 30% to $149.50 from $115 , then rise every three years to $198.57 by 2034.
Moving forward, fees would be tied to the rate of inflation.
Opponents warned fee hikes could backfire, driving hunters, anglers and boaters away from the woods and water and ultimately reducing DNR revenues.
“Forcing people to pay more to do something they already were hesitant to do will not boost outdoor recreational participation,” Prestin said. “It will only make the problem worse.”
Ridderbusch acknowledged the long odds of passing the bills given that none have received a floor vote in either chamber as the session inches toward a close.
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Featured image: Tahquamenon Falls during peak color. Michigan lawmakers are considering a bill package that would automatically charge drivers for the $14 annual recreation passport when they renew their vehicle registration. (Bridge file photo)
