Lawmakers Weigh Allowing Game & Fish Commission to Set Fees

Lawmakers are looking at giving more power to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission.

Representative Cheri Steinmetz, R-Goshen, is a member of the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee. She says the Fish and Wildlife Task Force is recommending the committee draft a bill that would take fee increases out of the hands of the legislature and give the commission authority to set fees.

"I see it as something that we need to weigh very carefully and at this point I'm not leaning toward favoring that," said Representative Steinmetz. "I don't see a good reason for it and I'm hesitant as to whether we even have the ability to do that constitutionally because we're elected people and we would be giving power to a body appointed by the governor, which is essentially the executive branch. Anytime you start consolidating power like that the question of constitutionality comes up and also if we're getting out of balance in the function of government and if the people are truly being represented."

Current law requires the commission to receive legislative approval to change fees.

Lawmakers have resisted raising hunting and fishing license fees in recent years and attempts to allow fees to automatically increase with inflation have failed.