HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

March 04, 2003 Hearing Room D

1:00 PM Tapes 35 - 36

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Jeff Kropf, Chair

Rep. George Gilman, Vice-Chair

Rep. Kelley Wirth, Vice-Chair

Rep. Terry Beyer

Rep. Dave Hunt

Rep. Donna Nelson

Rep. Patti Smith

STAFF PRESENT: Ray Kelly, Committee Administrator

David Peffley, Committee Assistant

MEASURES HEARD: HB 2209 – Public Hearing and Work Session

HB 2258 – Public Hearing

HB 2634 – Work Session

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 35, A
003	Chair Kropf	Calls the meeting to order at 1:39 and opens a public hearing on HB 2209.
HB 2209 – PUBLIC HEARING
014	Ray Kelly	Submits (EXHIBIT A), the hand engrossed -1 amendments to HB 2209, and summarizes the measure and the effects of the -1 amendment.
029	Jerod Broadfoot	Oregon Chapter, Safari Club International. Testifies in favor of HB 2209, but against the -1 amendments.
041	Ron Anglin	Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). States that the department does not support the -1 amendments.
050	Rep. Wirth	Asks if this bill allows ODFW to shoot wolves from the air.
053	Anglin	States that it depends on the classification of the wolf. If it is classified as a predator, then the right is already granted.
063	Rep. Hunt	Asks for clarification of what the -1 amendment does.
070	Anglin	Addresses the change and the inclusion of the term scientific research..
073	Rep. Hunt	Asks why ODFW opposes the -1 amendment.
077	Anglin	Responds that it restricts ODFW for scientific research.
087	Rep. Hunt	Asks if this opinion is representative of the department.
091	Anglin	Responds that he’s speaking on the behalf of the commission.
100	Rep. Hunt	Asks for confirmation that the governor and commission supports the bill as is.
103	Anglin	Notes that he isn’t 100% sure about the current governor.
108	Ray Kelly	Explains the effect of the amendment to the committee.
127	Anglin	States that ODFW already has broad enough authority without the amendment.
138	Chair Kropf	Addresses the concern of a constituent and asks about an outbreak of chronic wasting.
143	Anglin	Responds that ODFW has not addressed the issue.
148	Martin Taylor	Sierra Club. Addresses the process of the Sierra Club’s involvement with HB 2209. Stresses their original support for HB 2209, but opposition to the -1 amendment. States that their impasse surrounds wolves and elk.
225	Chair Kropf	Confirms Taylor’s assumptions and asks about the frequency.
234	Taylor	Addresses the wolf concern and notes that other states routinely shoot them from the air.
257	Carol Porto	Speaks to the Sierra Club’s work with ODFW on the amendment, but reasserts that they were not able to come to a consensus. Reaffirms opposition to the -1 amendments.
282	Sally Mackler	Sierra Club Wildlife Chair. States opposition to the -1 amendments. Submits (EXHIBIT B) and (EXHIBIT C) and explains that aerial hunting needs to be restricted to emergency use only. Submits concerns about the ambiguity of the language in HB 2209.
377	Rep. Gilman	Asks about injuries to people on the ground in the airplane crashes.
382	Mackler	States that she is not sure, but that enforcement agents have been shot at.
395	George Hutchinson	Southern Oregon Forest Coalition. States bewilderment as to why ODFW needs this authority now and why a wolf is on the list. States concern that this could be a back door attempt to override the ESA.
TAPE 36, A
002	Chair	Closes the public hearing on HB 2209 and opens a work session on HB 2209.
HB 2209 – WORK SESSION
005	Chair Kropf	Addresses the financial issues brought up in relation to HB 2209 and mentions the subsequent referral to ways and means.
012	Rep. Nelson	MOTION: Moves HB 2209 to the floor WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION as to passage and BE REFERRED to the committee on Ways and Means.
018	Rep. Hunt	States a concern with elk which needs to be addressed. States concern with the unintended consequences of broadening the scope too much.
015	Rep. Wirth	States opposition to HB 2209 due to concerns about the wolves.
020	Rep. Beyer	States opposition to HB 2209.
040		VOTE: 5-2 AYE: 5 - Rep. Gilman, Rep. Hunt, Rep. Nelson, Rep. Smith, Chair Kropf NAY: 2 - Rep. Wirth, Rep. Beyer
041	Chair	The motion Carries.
050	Chair Kropf	Closes the work session on HB 2209 and opens a public hearing on HB 2258.
PUBLIC HEARING – HB 2258
053	Ray Kelly	Summarizes HB 2258 and introduces the -1 amendment (EXHIBIT D).
055	Ron Anglin	Wildlife Division Administrator, ODFW. Submits (EXHIBIT E) and testifies in support of HB 2258. Notes that this bill has broad support and that this program has been successful in the past.
079	Chuck Smith	Chairman, Access and Habitat Board. States support for HB 2258 as it’s an ongoing program and needs to retain funding.
088	Ward Armstrong	States support for the -1 amendments. Gives background to the process of removing the sunset. Testifies that the program would be more efficient if the sunset were to be removed.
144	Chair Kropf	Asks for clarification that -1 amendments remove sunseting.
154	Rep. Nelson	Asks about the fiscal effect of the bill.
160	Smith	Answers that we receive about $1.5 million per biennium.
165	Rep. Nelson	Asks if there is a requirement for continuance.
167	Smith	States that there isn’t, but that it’s highly desirable.
171	Rep. Nelson	Questions why we need this legislation.
175	Smith	Responds that most of the fees are voluntary, but adds that there is a $2 unvoluntary charge.
183	Rep. Nelson	Asks if this allows Oregon to maintain its hunting privileges.
187	Smith	Responds that the goal is to keep public lands open so that the public has a place to hunt.
195	Chair Kropf	References the emergency seeding project as an example of how this bill can help. States that this bill is worthy of consideration.
213	Rep. Smith	Asks if this bill is part of the hunting fee increase.
216	Anglin	States that it is not.
219	Rep. Hunt	Asks how many years it would take for ODFW to reach their stated goals.
227	Smith	Suggests that this bill might give some trouble to landowners.
232	Armstrong	Speaks to the long-term nature of their projects.
246	Smith	Reaffirms the long-term nature of the projects.
258	Al Elkins	Oregon Hunters Association (OHA). Testifies that this is the best program he’s ever witnessed in strong support of HB 2258.
299	Rod Harder	Oregon Sporting Dogs Association. Gives a historical background to HB 2258. Testifies that the program is working and that land owners are benefiting. States though that he doesn’t support the permanency of the fee, but prefers the six year project before renewal.
378	Jerod Broadfoot	Safari Club International. Speaks to the funding sources for this program. Urges support for extending the sunset.
412	Rep. Smith	Asks if the $2 million has already been allocated.
TAPE 35, B
004	Ron Anglin	Addresses the balance left in the account.
018	Rep. Smith	Asks about the nature of that balance.
021	Anglin	Responds to the projects vis-à-vis the balance in the account.
028	Vice-Chair Gilman	Asks how many projects were left unfunded.
030	Chuck Smith	Speaks to the spending limitations and to their effect on projects.
043	Rep. Hunt	Asks how grants are awarded typically.
049	Anglin	Speaks to the projects which come in that require grant money.
070	Rep. Hunt	Asks Broadfoot about past problems close to the end of sunset time.
079	Broadfoot	Responds that they haven’t experienced any major problems due to the sunset and affirms that six years is an appropriate amount of time.
088	Rep Gilman	Asks Elkins what OHA’s opinion of the -1 amendments are.
091	Elkins	Speaks to the -1 amendments removing the sunset, and the duration of the projects. Affirms that OHA’s main concern is with the perpetuity of the program.
110	Greg Addington	Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB). Affirms support for HB 2258. States that OFB prefers the bill without the -1 amendment.
141	Katie Fast	Oregon Cattlemen’s Association (OCA). Speaks in favor of HB 2258 as written. Hopes this discussion to move forward and to address potential problems.
161	Rep. Beyer	Asks if removing the sunset would diminish OCA’s support.
166	Fast	Affirms that OCA would still support HB 2258, but that the membership prefers the sunset.
170	Addington	Restates that OFB would also still support HB 2258, but also support the sunset.
175	Chair Kropf	Asks if the two-year review is adequate to address future uncertainties.
178	Addington	States that they are more comfortable with the sunset.
188	Fast	Adds that access and local control are concerns, but not appropriate to discuss in this forum.
198	Chair Kropf	States that this bill makes sense and has a pretty good endorsement.
224	Rep. Wirth	Submits (EXHIBIT F) from a constituent in support of HB 2258.
238	Chair Kropf	Closes the public hearing on HB 2258 and opens a work session on HB 2634.
HB 2634 – WORK SESSION
250	Rep. Smith	MOTION: Moves HB 2634 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
257	Rep. Beyer	Offers support for HB 2634.
272		VOTE: 7-0
	Chair Kropf	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
274	Rep. Smith	MOTION: Moves HB 2634 be placed on the CONSENT CALENDAR.
277		VOTE: 7-0
279	Chair Kropf	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
282	Chair Kropf	Closes the work session on HB 2634 and adjourns the meeting at 2:56.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – HB 2209, HB 2209 hand engrossed with the –1 amendments, staff, 2 pp.

B – HB 2209, written testimony, Sally Mackler, 2 pp.

C – HB 2209, written information, Sally Mackler, 9 pp.

D – HB 2258, -1 amendments, staff, 5 pp.

E – HB 2258, written testimony, Ron Anglin, 2 pp.

F – HB 2258, written testimony, Rep. Kelley Wirth, 1 p.