S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
3079
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
March 10, 2009
___________
Introduced by Sen. VALESKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
preparing a report on the economic impact of hunting and fishing; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration there-
of
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that
2 according to a "2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-
3 Associated Recreation," recreational anglers and hunters spent more than
4 $3.5 billion in pursuit of their pastimes in New York in 2001. The 1996
5 survey found that expenditures include monies spent for equipment, bait
6 and tackle, hotels and motels, restaurants, lodges and camps, grocery
7 and hardware stores, and guide services. The survey also found that
8 these expenditures and their associated economic impact supported 43,000
9 jobs and generated $100 million in state sales tax and $32 million in
10 state income tax in New York state in 1996. Nationally, the survey
11 estimated that hunting and fishing supported 1.9 million jobs and gener-
12 ated $2.9 billion in state sales tax and $772 million in state income
13 tax. The legislature finds and declares that hunting, fishing, and
14 wildlife-associated recreation support jobs, generate sales and income
15 taxes, and are an integral component of the tourism industry and the
16 overall economy in New York state. Efforts are underway in each state
17 to promote tourism, including hunting, recreational fishing, and wild-
18 life-associated recreation in the name of economic development. The
19 legislature also finds that the department of environmental conservation
20 must rely on a study every five years by the United States Departments
21 of Interior and Commerce to determine the number of people who hunt and
22 fish and expenditures relating to their recreation. Therefore, this
23 legislation is intended to provide more accurate and timely information
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08172-01-9
S. 3079 2
1 to policy makers and department administrators regarding the tourism and
2 economic impact of hunting, fishing and wildlife-associated recreation
3 in New York state.
4 S 2. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new
5 section 11-0310 to read as follows:
6 S 11-0310. REPORT ON ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FISHING AND HUNTING.
7 1. COMMENCING ONE YEAR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
8 AND EVERY TWO YEARS THEREAFTER, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL, IN CONJUNCTION
9 WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMISSIONER OF
10 PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION, PREPARE A SUMMARY REPORT ON
11 THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FISHING, HUNTING, AND WILDLIFE-ASSOCIATED RECRE-
12 ATION IN NEW YORK STATE. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
13 TO, THE FOLLOWING:
14 A. THE NUMBER OF ANGLERS, HUNTERS, AND WILDLIFE-WATCHING PARTICIPANTS,
15 INCLUDING RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PARTICIPANTS, IN NEW YORK STATE, INCLUD-
16 ING A BREAKDOWN OF RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT ANGLERS, HUNTERS, AND WILD-
17 LIFE-WATCHING PARTICIPANTS;
18 B. THE FREQUENCY OF PARTICIPATION OF ANGLERS, HUNTERS, AND WILDLIFE
19 WATCHERS AND HOW MUCH MONEY THEY SPEND ON THEIR ACTIVITIES INCLUDING BUT
20 NOT LIMITED TO EXPENDITURES ON EQUIPMENT, BAIT AND TACKLE, HOTELS AND
21 MOTELS, RESTAURANTS, LODGES AND CAMPS, GROCERY AND HARDWARE STORES, AND
22 GUIDE SERVICES; AND
23 C. AN ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF JOBS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY ANGLERS,
24 HUNTERS, AND WILDLIFE-WATCHING PARTICIPANTS AS WELL AS THE AMOUNT OF
25 SALES TAX AND INCOME TAX GENERATED BY ANGLERS, HUNTERS, AND
26 WILDLIFE-WATCHING PARTICIPANTS.
27 2. THE RESULTS OF THE REPORT REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBMIT-
28 TED TO THE GOVERNOR AND TO THE LEGISLATURE, INCLUDING THE CHAIRS OF THE
29 ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE,
30 TOURISM, ARTS AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND THE ECONOMIC DEVEL-
31 OPMENT COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE,
32 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS
33 AND RECREATION COMMITTEE, AND COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL
34 BUSINESS COMMITTEE.
35 S 3. This act shall take effect on the first of October next succeed-
36 ing the date on which it shall have become a law and shall expire and be
37 deemed repealed 10 years after such date.