Massachusetts wildlife fund will be restored (11/7/2003)

A Massachusetts bill has derailed an attempt to steal sportsmen's money.

On October 31, Gov. Mitt Romney signed House Bill 4248. It ensures that taxes and fees collected for wildlife conservation are not passed on to the state's general budget. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) notified the Romney administration that failure to restore funds diverted from the Inland Fish and Game Fund would result in the loss of federal wildlife dollars. The bill was drafted soon after and sailed through the legislature.

In March, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance worked with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife marshaling sportsmen to oppose the theft of their money.

House Bill 4248 redirects 2003 hunting and fishing license fees from the state's general fund to wildlife conservation programs. To be eligible to participate in the Federal Aid in Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs, commonly called Pittman-Robertson (PR) and Dingell-Johnson (DJ), a state's hunting and fishing license revenue must be spent exclusively on fish and wildlife management. The bill will preserve nearly $4.7 million in federal funds.

HB 4248 includes an appropriation to allow the state to reopen two trout hatcheries and sets aside additional funds for the state wildlife agency to use for land acquisition.

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