H.91 Restoring the Public Trust of Wildlife introduced in VT House

H.91 which repeals the Nelson Amendment and restores the Public Trust Doctrine in Vermont has been introduced in the House of Representatives. Led by Rep David Deen and Kate Webb and cosponsored by 33 other Representatives.

Subject: Fish and wildlife; management of wildlife

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to declare that the fish and wildlife of Vermont are held in trust by the state for the benefit of the citizens of Vermont and shall not be reduced to private ownership. The bill would also declare that the fish and wildlife of Vermont are owned and controlled by the state in its sovereign capacity as the trustee for the citizens of the state. The bill would repeal the regulatory authority of the agency of agriculture, food and markets over the wild cervidae at a captive cervidae farm in Irasburg. Regulatory authority over the wild cervidae at the Irasburg facility would be transferred to the department of fish and wildlife. In addition, the bill would make permanent the transfer to the fish and wildlife board of regulatory authorityover the state deer herd by repealing the reversion of such authority to the general assembly.

Read the whole bill