HB 1617 Summary

• Appropriates $9,882,374.00 from the State General Fund and $91,192,538.00 from special funds (including $5,750,000.00 from gasoline and petroleum product taxes) to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks for fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024).

• Authorizes 533 permanent positions and 51 time-limited positions for the department, with restrictions on salary increases and escalations unless new funding is available.

• Allocates specific funds for initiatives including $400,000 for Chronic Wasting Disease detection, $175,000 for Cooperative Extension Service partnership, $200,000 for Youth Participation Initiative, and $58,593.00 for Hunter Education from court assessments.

• Reappropriates $6,000,000.00 in Capital Expense Funds for state parks and museum repairs, and appropriates an additional $21,100,000.00 in Capital Expense Funds ($13,000,000 for LeFleur's Bluff complex improvements, $7,000,000 for state parks repairs, and $1,100,000 for equipment).

• Establishes performance targets for hunting/fishing licenses (480,000), fish stocking (2,000,000), park overnight accommodations (1,045,000 combined), and hunter education participants (10,000) for fiscal year 2024.