HR 15 LEGISLATIVE BUDGET & FINANCE REPORT TO HOUSE GAME AND FISHERIES COMMITTEE

11/20/03

The Committee held an informational meeting to receive a report from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) on the feasibility of a combined Fish and Wildlife Commission for Pennsylvania pursuant to HR 15, (Smith, B) a Resolution directing the Game and Fisheries Committee of the House of Representatives to investigate the combining of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to create a new independent agency responsible for managing the fish, boating and wildlife resources of PA.

Phillip R. Durgin, Executive Director, and John H. Rowe, Jr., Chief Analyst, of LBFC presented the report, which focused on the feasibility of combing the Fish and Boat Commission with the Game Commission and how to best manage the fish and game resources. The Report demonstrated that it is feasible and proposed a structure for implementing the merger. Pennsylvania is the only state in the Nation that has not combined these two agencies. However, some states began with only one agency.

Some of the highlights of the Report include eliminating positions, reducing the number of regional offices and defining the duties of WCOs (Wildlife Conservation Officers) so as to have them only perform law enforcement duties. These key changes would produce an estimated $5 million annually in savings to the Commonwealth. Durgin stated that additional revenue sources would be needed to maintain the services that agencies provide regardless of whether or not the merger would materialize.

Chairman Bruce Smith (R-Cumberland) confirmed that the $5 million cost savings would come primarily from personnel cuts. He also discussed the issue that for years the Fish and Boat Commission and Game Commission have testified at committee hearings on how much the agencies work together and that a good percentage of the WCOs time was spent on educating and communicating with the public. Smith pointed out that on page 110 of the Report, the statistical findings suggested otherwise. Both Commissions responded that the statistics were based on codes that do not accurately represent the time spent co-operating with each other and communicating with the public.

The committee is waiting on LBFC to release a report pursuant to HR 222, which directs the Joint State Government Commission to study the feasibility of transferring the law enforcement functions of both the PA Game Commission and the PA Fish and Boat Commission to a new Bureau of Law Enforcement. Law enforcement functions could be transferred to "another department" or the DCNR.

Minority Chairman Edward Staback (D-Wayne) stressed that the committee could not move forward on this Report until they had a chance to review the results of HR 222. Durgin stated that LBFC should be providing the report to the committee sometime in March of next year.

Staback questioned if it is worth the $5 million in savings to combine the two agencies since it would be such an enormous task. The response was that it was up to the legislature to determine that.

Rep. Teresa Forcier (R-Crawford) asked if the prior studies the LBFC conducted were used in preparing this report and if so were they useful. The response was that although they were looked at to see the historical aspect, they were not really useful. The latest Report from 1989 was used as a baseline, but since issues have changed it was not that relevant.

Although the current focus is not on whether employees are contributing to co-pays, Rep. John Evans (R-Crawford) mentioned that this should be looked at in the future to help hold down costs.

Rep. Tim Solobay (D-Washington) stressed his concern with current and projected capital projects and maintenance of facilities. The Report provided for some increases in funding for these projects. Page 43 of the Report lists the projects.

Rep. Gordon Denlinger (R-Lancaster) brought up the issue of WCOs that are part of a union. LBFC's staff Counsel Jones stated that the Game Commission is covered under Act 111 and the Fish and Boat Commission was covered under Act 95. The difference is that under Act 111 employees may strike even when there is employment impasse. Another concern was retirement issues, which are addressed on page 115 of the Report.

Game Commissioner Vernon Ross and others were provided the opportunity to make remarks. It was the Game Commission's position that the combing of the two agencies would not allow them to continue to provide valuable services to the hunting community and public. Their field officers provide education, training and law enforcement. He was concerned that the Report did not associate any costs to the merger and threw out the suggestion that this must be taken into consideration.

Dennis Guise and others from the Fish and Boat Commission agreed that the Report sacrifices customer service and protection of resources for money savings. He also pointed out that there are more boaters in PA than hunters and fishers combined and that the issue of boater education and safety also need addressed.

For a copy of the Report and the Supplemental Information, please call 717-783-1600 and ask the receptionist to mail you a copy.