Title: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Summary: Revises provisions relating to vessel registration fees & hunting & fishing license fees; revises provisions for calculating periodic increases in such fees.

Full Text:
An act relating to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; amending ss. 328.72 and 379.354, F.S., relating to vessel registration fees and hunting and fishing license fees; revising provisions for calculating periodic increases in such fees; definin gthe term "Consumer Price Index" for purposes of the calculation; directing the Division of Law Revision and Information to update specified provisions to reflect the revised fees;providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 328.72, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 328.72 Classification; registration; fees and charges; surcharge; disposition of fees; fines; marine turtle stickers.-(1) VESSEL REGISTRATION FEE.-(a) Vessels that are required to be registered shall be classified for registration purposes according to the following schedule, and the registration certificate fee shall be in the following amounts: Class A-1-Less than feet in length, and all canoes to which propulsion motors have been attached, regardless of length: $5.50 for each-month period registered. Class A-2-12 feet or more and less than feet in length: $16.25 for each-month period registered. (To county): 2.85 for each-month period registered. HB 1059 2013 Class-16 feet or more and less than feet in length: $28.75 for each-month period registered. (To county): 8.85 for each-month period registered. Class-26 feet or more and less than feet in length: $78.25 for each-month period registered. (To county): 32.85 for each-month period registered. Class-40 feet or more and less than feet in length: $127.75 for each-month period registered. (To county): 56.85 for each-month period registered. Class-65 feet or more and less than feet in length: $152.75 for each-month period registered. (To county): 68.85 for each-month period registered. Class-110 feet or more in length: $189.75 for each-month period registered. (To county): 86.85 for each 12-month period registered. Dealer registration certificate: $25.50 for each-month period registered. The county portion of the vessel registration fee is derived from recreational vessels only. (b) In 2015 2013 and every years thereafter, vessel registration fees shall be adjusted by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers since the fees were last adjusted,unless otherwise provided by general law. The vessel registration fees shall be adjusted by being multiplied by a growth factor calculated as the annual average Consumer Price Index for the calendar year preceding the adjustment year divided by the annual average Consumer Price Index for the calendar year years before the adjustment year. HB 1059 2013 For purposes of the ca lculation, the term "Consumer Price Index" means the not seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. city average, all items, as initially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall round the fee adjustments to the nearest cents and submit the revised fee schedule to the Division of Law Revision and Information within the Office of Legislative Services. The Division of Law Revision and Infor mation shall update paragraph (a) according to the revised fee schedule.These adjustment sapply to the total fee and the not the county portion. By February of each year in which an adjustment is scheduled to occur, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Co mmission shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives detailing how the increase in vessel registration fees will be requested for use used within the agency. The vessel registration fee increases sha ll take effect July of each adjustment year. Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 379.354, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 379.354 Recreational licenses, permits, and authorization numbers; fees established.-(1) LICENSE, PERMIT, OR AUTHORIZATION NUMBER REQUIRED.-(b) In 2015 2013 and every years thereafter, license and permit fees established in subsections (4) and (5) shall be adjusted by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers since the fees were last adjusted,unless otherwise provided by general law. The license and permit HB 1059 2013 fees shall be adjusted by being multiplied by a growth factor calculated as the annual average Consumer Price Index for the calendar year preceding the adjustment year divided by the annual average Consumer Price Index for the calendar year 88 years before the adjustment year. For purposes of the calculation the term "Consumer Price Index" means the not seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers,U.S. city average, all items, as initially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall round the fee adjustments to the nearest cents and submit the revised fee schedule to the Division of Law Revision and Information within the Office of Legislative Services. The Division of Law Revision and Information shall update subsections (4) and (5) according to the revised fee schedule.By February of each year in which an adjustment is scheduled to occur, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives detailing how the increase in license and permi tfees will be requested for use used within the agency. The license and permit fee increases shall take effect July of each adjustment year. Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.