A whitetail buck. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

Hunting and fishing fees in Michigan would increase to net revenue of more than $20 million under a bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday, which was met with staunch opposition from Republicans in both chambers of the Legislature.

The bills raising the fees were sprung on Senate lawmakers during session held Tuesday and were not initially on the agenda. But the bills were not new introductions jammed through the process and had been in the hopper for months now.

There had also been discussions during the budget process of finding new revenue from hunting and fishing fees. Still, Republican leaders, particularly state Sen. Ed McBroom of Waucedah Township, castigated the increases and scolded Senate leadership for bringing it up out of the blue for a vote on the Senate floor Tuesday.

Senators ultimately voted 23-13 on Senate Bill 276, sponsored by state Sen. John Cherry, D-Flint, that would raise the fees.

A breakdown of the final passed version, which was amended in committee prior to reaching the Senate floor, shows that a complete resident license for both hunting and fishing would now cost outdoors folk $150 per person, while nonresidents would pay $450 per person. Both of those complete licenses would be new under the bill.

The previous resident and nonresident combo hunting/fishing licenses would still be available at a higher rate than offered now, an analysis from the nonpartisan Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency shows. The resident license is currently $75, and would rise to $100 under the bill; similarly, a nonresident combo license is currently $265, and would rise to $355 under the bill.

Overall, the agency said the revenue stream would significantly benefit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and would have no fiscal impact on local units of government. The fee changes are estimated to raise $29.4 million in additional revenue for the Game and Fish Protection Fund.

Senate Bill 277, sponsored by Sen. Jon Bumstead, R-North Muskegon, also passed 22-14. The bill would amend the state’s General Sales Tax Act to earmark state tax at a rate of 4% credited to the game and fish protection account.

House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, told reporters during House session that the bill has no momentum moving to the House.

“We’re not going to do it,” Hall said plainly. “I don’t know what their obsession is with raising hunting and fishing fees. It’s never going to happen as long as I’m speaker.”

When asked if there was any kind of pending deal with the House behind closed doors on hunting and fishing fee increases, Hall said: “I’m the House.”

“I’m the House and there is no deal with the House,” he said. “I didn’t make a deal.”

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