Alabama 2023 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB248 Compare Versions

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1	1	HB248INTRODUCED
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3	3	ME5BHW-1
4	4	By Representatives Lipscomb, Kiel, Shaw, Butler, Robertson,
5	5	Underwood, Rigsby, Rehm, Sorrells, Marques, Woods, Stringer,
6	6	Hurst, Oliver, Wood (D), DuBose, Cole, Reynolds, Pringle,
7	7	Brown, Shedd, Lee, Whitt, Bolton, Easterbrook, Kirkland,
8	8	Ensler, Travis, Hollis, Givens, Holk-Jones, Shirey, Lamb,
9	9	Gidley, Lovvorn, Paramore, Hill, Standridge, Crawford,
10	10	Harbison, Estes, Kitchens, Colvin, Faulkner, Rafferty, Lomax,
11	11	Ellis, Smith
12	12	RFD: Ports, Waterways & Intermodal Transit
13	13	First Read: 04-Apr-23
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25	25	12 ME5BHW-1 04/03/2023 ZAK (L)cr 2023-823
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27	27	SYNOPSIS:
28	28	Under existing law, the Commissioner of the
29	29	Department of Conservation and Natural Resources may
30	30	introduce desirable species of game fish into the
31	31	waters of the state.
32	32	This bill would prohibit a person from
33	33	introducing or placing any fish into the waters of the
34	34	state without a permit issued by the Commissioner of
35	35	the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
36	36	and would provide exceptions.
37	37	This bill would require the commissioner to
38	38	issue a permit to release black bass into the Coosa
39	39	River under certain circumstances.
40	40	This bill would provide penalties for
41	41	violations.
42	42	Section 111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of
43	43	2022, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect
44	44	would be to require a new or increased expenditure of
45	45	local funds from becoming effective with regard to a
46	46	local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3
47	47	vote unless: it comes within one of a number of
48	48	specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected
49	49	entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or
50	50	provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for
51	51	the purpose.
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79	79	28 HB248 INTRODUCEDHB248 INTRODUCED
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81	81	The purpose or effect of this bill would be to
82	82	require a new or increased expenditure of local funds
83	83	within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill
84	84	does not require approval of a local governmental
85	85	entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective
86	86	because it comes within one of the specified exceptions
87	87	contained in the amendment.
88	88	A BILL
89	89	TO BE ENTITLED
90	90	AN ACT
91	91	Relating to natural resources; to prohibit a person
92	92	from introducing or placing fish into the waters of the state
93	93	without a permit issued by the Commissioner of the Department
94	94	of Conservation and Natural Resources; to provide exceptions;
95	95	to require the commissioner to issue a permit for the
96	96	introduction of black bass into the Coosa River in certain
97	97	circumstances; to provide for penalties; and in connection
98	98	therewith would have as its purpose or effect the requirement
99	99	of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the
100	100	meaning of Section 111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of
101	101	2022.
102	102	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
103	103	Section 1. (a) No person shall introduce or place, or
104	104	attempt to introduce or place, any fish into the waters of the
105	105	state without a permit issued by the Commissioner of the
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135	135	Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
136	136	(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to wholly private
137	137	waters that have no connection to public waters of the state.
138	138	A person violates subsection (a) when fish the person has
139	139	placed into private waters escape into public waters of the
140	140	state and the person does not possess a permit.
141	141	(c) A permit shall be issued by the Commissioner of the
142	142	Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to a
143	143	municipality or private entity associated with fishing or
144	144	conservation allowing the introduction and placement of black
145	145	bass into the Coosa River if all of the following are
146	146	satisfied:
147	147	(1) The municipality or private entity obtains the
148	148	black bass from a fish hatchery located in this state that is
149	149	approved by the department.
150	150	(2) The only black bass being introduced or placed into
151	151	the Coosa River are the Northern Largemouth Bass (Micropterus
152	152	salmoides) subspecies, the Florida Bass (Micropterus salmoides
153	153	floridanus) subspecies, or a first generation offspring of
154	154	these two subspecies.
155	155	(3) The municipality or private entity bears all costs
156	156	associated with the purchase, transport, and introduction of
157	157	black bass.
158	158	(d) The Department of Conservation and Natural
159	159	Resources shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this
160	160	section.
161	161	(e) Any person who violates this section shall be
162	162	guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished
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192	192	by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250)
193	193	nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense.
194	194	Section 2. Although this bill would have as its purpose
195	195	or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of
196	196	local funds, the bill is excluded from further requirements
197	197	and application under Section 111.05 of the Constitution of
198	198	Alabama of 2022, because the bill defines a new crime or
199	199	amends the definition of an existing crime.
200	200	Section 3. This act shall become effective on the first
201	201	day of the third month following its passage and approval by
202	202	the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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