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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 6384 (as amended by House "A")*
AN ACT CONCERNING AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES' EFFECTS
ON LAKES AND RELATED FUNDING.
SUMMARY
This bill generally does the following:
1. provides for a longer six-foot draw down period of Lake Beseck
in odd-numbered years;
2. requires the Department of Energy and Environmental
Protection (DEEP) to report to the Environment Committee on
(a) the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) fee revenue and (b) grants
from the Connecticut Lakes, Rivers and Ponds Preservation
account;
3. increases the number of participants allowed under a group
fishing license from 50 to 100 people; and
4. prohibits the state from having a closed trout fishing season.
*House Amendment “A” adds the group fishing license and trout
fishing provisions.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except the Lake Beseck draw
down provisions are effective October 1, 2021.
LAKE BESECK DRAW DOW N
The bill provides for a longer six-foot draw down period of Lake
Beseck in odd-numbered years. By law, in odd-numbered years, the
six-foot draw down must be achieved by November 1. The bill
requires the draw down to be maintained until January 31, instead of
December 31 as under current law.
The bill requires DEEP to enter into an agreement with Middlefield 2021HB-06384-R010632-BA.DOCX
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and the Lake Beseck Association about the lake’s annual water level
draw down by November 1, 2021.
REPORTING FROM DEEP
The bill requires DEEP to report to the Environment Committee by
October 1, 2021, on the (1) amount of revenue collected from the AIS
fee and (2) number, value, and purpose of any grants to municipalities
and nonprofit organizations from the Connecticut Lakes, Rivers and
Ponds Preservation account (see BACKGROUND). DEEP may al so
report on recommendations for additional ways to fund
municipalities’ and lake authorities’ AIS control or eradication
projects.
The bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
commissioner to give the DEEP commissioner any information
necessary for DEEP to complete its AIS report.
GROUP FISHING LICENSE
The bill increases the number of participants allowed under a group
fishing license, which DEEP issues, from 50 to 100 people. By law,
DEEP may issue a group fishing license to a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
organization to conduct up to 50 group fishing events per year for
qualified individuals (e.g., disabled veterans and certain people
receiving services from the departments of Children and Families,
Developmental Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services, and
Social Services).
TROUT FISHING
The bill prohibits the state from having a closed trout fishing season.
(Under current DEEP regulations, trout fishing in most lakes, ponds,
rivers, and streams is closed from March 1 to 6:00 a.m. on the second
Saturday in April (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 26-112-45(m)).) However,
the bill does not limit DEEP’s existing statutory authority to regulate
the method and manner of taking trout (CGS §§ 26-111 & 26-112).
BACKGROUND
Aquatic Invasive Species Fee 2021HB-06384-R010632-BA.DOCX
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By law, owners of registered vessels (i.e., generally, any type of
watercraft except a seaplane) must pay an annual AIS fee. The fee is $5
for in-state vessels (payable to DMV when registering a vessel) and $20
for out-of-state vessels (payable to DEEP) (CGS § 14-21bb). DMV and
DEEP must deposit all AIS fee proceeds in the Connecticut Lakes,
Rivers and Ponds Preservation account. DEEP must use the account
for various purposes, including allocating grants to state and
municipal agencies and nonprofit organizations to conduct research
and provide public education on managing state lakes, rivers, and
ponds (CGS § 14-21aa).
Related Bill
sSB 838 (File 143), reported favorably by the Environment
Committee, contains the same group fishing license and trout fishing
provisions as this bill.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Environment Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 33 Nay 0 (03/12/2021)