SB 929 — AN ACT CONCERNING PENALTIES FOR THE TAKING OF STRIPED BASS.

Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

534929 JanuaryPublic Session,Act 2021 Senate Bill No.

92921-124 Senate,AN AprilACT 20,CONCERNING 2021PENALTIES TheFOR CommitteeTHE onTAKING EnvironmentOF reportedSTRIPED throughBASS. SEN.

COHEN of the 12th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING PENALTIES FOR THE TAKING OF STRIPED BASS.

(2) SB929establish /hours, Filedays No.or periods during the open season when fishing shall not be permitted in designated waters or areas for all or limited speciesbyallorlimitedmethods;(3)establishlegallengths;(4)prescribe the legal methods of sport fishing for all or limited species;

534(5) 1establish SB929Senate FileBill No.

534929 establishfor hours,sport daysfishing orthe periodsdaily duringcreel limit, the open season whencreel fishinglimit shalland not be permitted in designated waters or areas for all or limited speciesbyallorlimitedmethods;(3)establishlegallengths;(4)prescribe the legalpossession methodslimit; of sport fishing for all or limited species;

(5) establish for sport fishing the daily creel limit, the season creel limit and the possession limit;

[, except that any person who violates any regulation adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 and this section pertaining to the taking of striped bass shall be fined one hundred dollars for each fish taken or possessed for the first violation, be fined two hundred dollars for each SB929fish /taken Fileor possessed for the second violation and be fined five hundreddollarsforeachfishtakenorpossessedorimprisonednotmore Public Act No.

53421-124 2 SB929of File3 Senate Bill No.

534929 fish taken or possessed for the second violation and be fined five hundreddollarsforeachfishtakenorpossessedorimprisonednotmore than thirty days, or both for each subsequent violation.

No part of any fine imposed for thetaking or possession of any striped bass in violation of any such regulation shall be remitted.] ThisApproved actJuly shall7, take2021 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section21-124 13 fromof passage3 26-159a ENV Joint Favorable SB929 / File No.

534 3 SB929 File No.

534 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill eliminates a portion of penalties under striped bass sportfishing regulations, making violations of these regulations an infraction, instead.

Currently, most sportfishing infractions are subject to a base fine of $35, not including additional fees and surcharges bringing the total amount due to $75 for each violation.

Each violation is subject to penalties ranging from $100 to $500 include imprisonment of up to 30 days, depending on the circumstance.

The bill is anticipated to be revenue neutral and therefore is expected to have no fiscal impact.

On average, there is $1,750 per year in fine generated revenue.

Under the bill, the annual revenue would be $1,875 based on the same number of violations.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None SB929 / File No.

534 4 SB929 File No.

534 OLR Bill Analysis SB 929 AN ACT CONCERNING PENALTIES FOR THE TAKING OF STRIPED BASS.

SUMMARY State law authorizes the energy and environmental protection commissioner to adopt regulations on, among other things, the legal methods of sportfishing and the legal limits on possessing various species, including striped bass.

The commissioner has done this (see, e.g., Conn.

Agencies Regs.

§ 26-159a-2).

This bill eliminates the enhanced penalties in current law for violating the striped bass sportfishing regulations.

By doing so, it makes a violation of the striped bass regulations an infraction (see BACKGROUND), which is the same penalty that applies to other marine district sportfishing regulation violations.

Currently, most marine district sportfishing infractions are subject to a base fine of $35, but certain additional fees and surcharges apply, which brings the total amount due to $75.

Under current law, a person who violates the striped bass sportfishing regulations is subject to the following penalties:

1.