OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-5140
AN ACT CONCERNING THE HAND -HARVESTING OF
HORSESHOE CRABS IN THE STATE.
Primary Analyst: MR 3/29/22
Contributing Analyst(s):
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 23 $ FY 24 $
Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection
GF - Revenue
Loss
240 240
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill prohibits the hand-harvesting of horseshoe crabs, while
allowing for certain education and medical-related exemptions. This is
expected to result in an annual revenue loss of $240 since the 16 current
license holders would not likely renew their hand-harvest
endorsements issued by the Department of Energy and Environmental
Protection (DEEP).
Also, the bill subjects someone to a $25 fine for each horseshoe crab
in violation of the bill. As there have been no violations and no revenue
associated with this penalty under current law, this provision is not
anticipated to have a fiscal impact.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to the amount of the fee associated with
the hand-harvest endorsements.