JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Two conservation-related bills are making their way through the Missouri legislature during the current session -- one with widespread support and the other stirring a bit of controversy.
House Bill 1873, introduced by Rep. Jered Taylor, R-139, would impose heavier fines for those who are convicted of poaching wild turkeys, deer, elk, black bear or paddlefish.
It was passed in the full House of Representatives on Feb. 28 and referred to the Senate, but as of yet, it's only had a single reading there. If it passes the Senate and is signed by the governor, the new fine schedule would be more in line with other states.
"We're really excited it's passed out of the House," said Conservation Federation of Missouri Executive Director Brandon Butler. "The minimum and maximum fines are a great statement by lawmakers that they see the value of wildlife."
"I was very pleased to see the House pass that," added Department of Conservation Deputy Director Aaron Jeffries. "Some states have five-figure fines, and a recent Boone and Crockett study showed Missouri is miserably behind most other states in fine costs."
The department "wants poachers to think about it before they pull the trigger," said Jeffries, who noted MDC is "not wanting to hammer everyone," but instead have a strong deterrent in place.
"Currently, poaching fines are far too low to cause any deterrent," Butler said, noting "you can poach a deer in Missouri for less than the cost of a nonresident license."
The average deer poaching fine, he said, is $150.
Currently, Jeffries noted, poaching is a Class A misdemeanor in Missouri, and the new bill would "give judges some discretion" in setting fines.
Under the bill, those poaching turkeys would face fines ranging from $375 to $750, while those who kill a deer illegally will pay between $1,000 and $2,000.
The penalty range for poaching a black bear or elk would be $2,500 to $5,000, and those taking paddlefish out of season will pay between $500 to $1,000.
While the new fine schedule would remain lower than many states, Butler said, it is a compromise.
"We want them to be severe enough to deter people from poaching but realistic enough to be able to collect the fines," he said.
Money collected through poaching fines would continue to go into the state's school moneys fund and distributed to public schools, a longstanding procedure.
The other bill, House Bill 1657, introduced by Rep. Chuck Basye, R-47, seeks to offer free hunting, trapping and fishing privileges to nonresidents who own at least 75 acres of property in Missouri.
"The bill is unconstitutional," said Jeffries, "and it would have a significant impact on our budget. I don't know of any other state that would give a Missouri hunter a free permit."
Butler agreed, saying "now that the sponsor realized the original bill was unconstitutional, he's trying to run an HJR (House Joint Resolution)." If passed, it would call for a ballot vote.
Currently, Jeffries said, MDC's nonresident permit fees are some of the lowest in the nation. MDC surveys also show frequent comments saying nonresident firearms deer permit prices are too low.
"We do recognize landowners are part of conservation success," said Jeffries, "but nonresidents do not pay for conservation."
In Missouri, conservation is paid almost entirely through a one-eighth cent sales tax earmarked for that purpose, plus permit sales and small amounts of federal funding mixed in. Property taxes, the only money collected from nonresident landowners, Butler said, do not help pay for conservation programs.
Both bills can be tracked online at www.house.mo.gov.