Why It Matters: State fish and wildlife agencies rely on hunters, anglers, and recreational shooting sports participants to support their conservation efforts through the unique “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). Through the ASCF, state fish and wildlife agencies not only collect funds from the hunting or fishing licenses sold, but also collect federal apportionments that are generated through excise taxes on sporting goods. Funds that are collected through this System must only be used by the state fish and wildlife agency. In Nebraska, Sections 30 and 31 of Legislative Bill 1413 look to redirect $7,000,000 from the Nebraska Fame and Parks Commission state game fund to the general fund along with $2,500,000 from the Nebraska Habitat Fund – a diversion of ASCF dollars that would make the Commission ineligible to receive federal apportionments and would result in a loss of revenue that is much larger than the already significant millions of dollars proposed to be transferred.
Highlights
- Ahead of the hearing on January 30, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted formal testimony in opposition to Section 30 and 31 of Legislative Bill 1413.
- Legislative Bill 1413 (LB 1413) proposes a transfer of $7,000,000 from the State Game Fund and $2,500,000 from the Nebraska Habitat Fund to the State General Fund.
- The diversion of sportsmen-generated money will not only strip the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) of current funding, but it will make the State ineligible to receive future federal apportionments through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation submitted formal testimony to the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee in opposition to Section 30 and 31 of LB 1413 which looks to transfer $7,000,000 from the State Game Fund and $2,500,000 from the Nebraska Habitat Fund to the State General Fund. These sections, specifically Section 30, not only redirect critical conservation funding from NGPC but would also be a diversion of sportsmen-generated funding that would make the state ineligible to receive their federal apportionments through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux Acts.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission relies on the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and federal apportionments of revenue that is generated though manufacturer-level excise taxes on sporting goods authorized through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux Acts. This framework is known as the American System of Conservation Funding. For states, including Nebraska, to be eligible for these federal apportionments, state fish and wildlife agencies must ensure that all revenue received through the ASCF is used only for the administration of the state fish and wildlife agency.
The NPGC relies on these funds to continue their conservation efforts which benefit all Nebraskans. In 2023 alone, NGPC received more than $27.4 million in federal apportionments. As written, LB 1413 would make the NGPC ineligible for these annual apportionments, ultimately costing the agency nearly $35 million in operating revenue – significantly more than the $7 million that LB 1413 proposes to transfer. Moving forward, elected officials are encouraged to work with their state fish and wildlife agency to better understand the importance of the ASCF and the sportsmen-led efforts to fund fish and wildlife conservation throughout the country.
