SB 79

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources administers a

program to reimburse eligible counties for the costs incurred in processing and

donating venison from certain deer (venison donation program). To be eligible for

participation in the venison donation program, the county must accept deer

carcasses for processing, it must pay the costs of the processing, and it must make

reasonable efforts to donate the venison to a food distribution service or a charitable

organization. Another eligibility requirement is that the county must participate in

the wildlife damage abatement program and the wildlife damage claim program

(wildlife damage programs). The wildlife damage programs reimburse a county for

certain costs incurred for providing abatement assistance or for paying damage

claims with respect to wildlife damage that occurs in the county. The venison

donation program is funded in part by a wildlife damage surcharge on, and by

voluntary contributions paid by persons who purchase, certain hunting approvals.

This bill expands the venison donation program to include wild turkey. Under

the bill, a county is eligible to receive reimbursement for the costs incurred in

processing and donating wild turkey, as well as the costs incurred in processing and

donating venison, if the county accepts deer or wild turkey carcasses for processing

and meets the other eligibility requirements for participation in the program.