A surcharge on nonresident hunting and fishing approvals for providing grant programs, granting rule-making authority, and making appropriations. (FE)

The bill requires DNR to establish a program to award grants to counties, municipalities, and American Indian tribes and bands for the purchase of emergency rescue equipment for responding to incidents involving hunting, fishing, and trapping and accidents involving all-terrain and utility terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, boats, and snowmobiles. The grant recipient is required to provide funding equal to 25 percent of the grant amount awarded. The bill increases DNR's authorized positions by 0.5 to administer this program.

The bill requires DNR to establish a program to award grants to public schools, private schools, and tribal schools to offer instructional programming on certain outdoor recreation activities and natural resources. The instructional programming may include instruction on any of the following subjects: the safe operation and use of a snowmobile, all-terrain or utility terrain vehicle, or motorboat; hunter safety;

knowledge to identify and understand the habitat needs of fish and wild animals of this state; an introduction to the state park system and the value of state parks; and safely fishing on ice. A school that receives a grant under the bill may not charge a fee to any pupil who is participating in the course of instruction.