While the original bill 246 is supported by the Nevada State Wildlife Commission, the proposed amendment 4747, originally introduced as AB437, is opposed by the same Commission. (See attachment)

This amendment uses as the funding mechanism a lottery/drawing to give unsuccessful hunting tag applicants another chance for additional tags. Before they can even enter the drawing they are forced to pay an additional fee and purchase another "stamp" which represents another fee/tax increase. I believe that is why this bill if amended is required to have a 2/3 majority vote to pass. This also brings it in conflict with the Governor's no new taxes pledge and may jeopardize the positive aspects of AB246.

There are several additional defects as listed:

1. It sets up a brand new bureaucracy completely outside of the Wildlife Commission or Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
2. It creates a five member governing board with no sportsmen on it.
3. The new board members are picked at random by the State Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader and the Governor from anyone they desire.
4. The money is 100% from Sportsmen with no assurance of any representation.
5. The Commission will be required by law to issue these tags every year with an absolute minimum of five tags irrespective of biological considerations.
6. It is in direct competition with other sportsmen "additional chance" type drawings.
7. It is not specific enough as to where the money raised can be spent.
8. It apparently purposely has not gone through the normal channels for review and sportsmen input.
9. It has no mandatory audit procedure to insure the financial regulations are complied with.
10. It creates at least five additional special tags above and beyond all of the extra tags already used, i.e. the Heritage, the Governors, Partnership-In-Wildlife tags etc.
11. It is excessively complicated and "reinvents the wheel", outside of procedures and guidelines already in place.
12. It allows almost any organization that is officially non profit to secure these tags.
13. It allows that organization to keep an unspecified amount of the money for overhead costs.
14. It creates a mandatory new stamp, a "resource enhancement stamp" that must be purchased before the sportsman can participate in the drawing.

The proponents have claimed the original bill voted down by the Wildlife Commission is different than the new proposal but a review of both shows if anything the new one is even more complicated and confusing with no substantive differences.

Politically it will look very bad to support an amendment opposed by the State Wildlife Commission, especially with all the money coming from sportsmen. There is already a great deal of confusion and bitterness about "special" tags, which have sold at times for more than $100,000.00. Amendment 4747 will add a bunch of red tape that will certainly exacerbate that sentiment while provided no meaningful advantages and could negatively rebound.

In short the risks and flaws greatly outweigh the possible benefits.

At the very least it should be referred back to Assembly Natural Resources for revision.

Thank you for all your hard work on these matters. Now call Assembly members at the numbers below.

Sincerely,

Ira Hansen

From Northern Nevada: 1-775-684-6800;

From Southern Nevada: 1-702-486-2626 or

Toll Free: 1-800-978-2878 or 1-800-995-9080 or 1-800-992-0973

Toll Free Fax: 1-866-543-9941