[Senate Report 112-212] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] Calendar No. 513 112th Congress Report SENATE 2d Session 112-212 ====================================================================== PERMANENT ELECTRONIC DUCK STAMP ACT OF 2012 _______ September 19, 2012.--Ordered to be printed _______ Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany S. 2071] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was referred a bill (S. 2071) to grant the Secretary of the Interior permanent authority to authorize States to issue electronic duck stamps, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass. GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND Hunters over the age of 16 must purchase a Federal Duck Stamp each year if they want to hunt migratory waterfowl. Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sales of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland and waterfowl habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been carrying out a pilot program that allows customers the option to purchase the federal duck stamp online. This program is operating in eight states. S. 2071 would extend the pilot program to all states and make it permanent. To sell stamps electronically a state must submit an application to the Secretary for approval. The legislation also outlines requirements for the sale of electronic stamps, fees that can be charged, and validity of electronic stamps. OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION The Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012 (S. 2071) permanently authorizes a program to issue electronic duck stamps. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS Section 1. Short title Section 1 provides that this Act may be cited as the ``Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012''. Section 2. Definitions Section 2 provides definitions of several terms used in the Act. Section 3. Authority to issue electronic duck stamps Section 3 authorizes the Secretary to issue electronic duck stamps in consultation with State management agencies. Section 4. State application Section 4 establishes application requirements for authorization of State programs that sell electronic duck stamps Section 5. State obligations and authorities Section 5 establishes requirements for the sale of electronic duck stamps and the collection of revenues. Section 6. Electronic stamp requirements; recognition of electronic stamp Section 6 establishes requirements for the format and recognition of electronic stamps. Section 7. Termination of state participation Section 7 directs the Secretary to terminate a State's authority to issue electronic duck stamps if the Secretary finds that the State has violated any of the terms of the application of the State approved by the Secretary under Section 4. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY S. 2071 was introduced by Senators Wicker and Pryor on February 6, 2012. The bill was received, read twice, and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. On July 25, 2012, the full Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider the bill. The bill was ordered reported favorably without amendment by voice vote. HEARINGS On April 24th, 2012, the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a legislative hearing on multiple bills, including S. 2071. ROLLCALL VOTES The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to consider S. 2071 on July 25, 2012. The bill was ordered reported favorably by voice vote. REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 2071 does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals. MANDATES ASSESSMENT In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-4), the committee noted that the Congressional Budget Office has found, ``S. 2071 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.'' CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE August 23, 2012. Hon. Barbara Boxer, Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC, Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2071, the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Martin von Gnechten. Sincerely, Douglas W. Elmendorf. Enclosure. S. 2071--Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2012 S. 2071 would authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to permanently allow states to provide federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps (referred to as federal duck stamps) electronically. The electronic stamps would remain valid for 45 days to allow hunting before the stamps arrive in the mail. A pilot program that authorized states to issue electronic stamps expired in 2010, although the USFWS has continued the program under other authorities. CBO estimates that enacting S. 2071 would affect direct spending and revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. Under current law, amounts collected from the sale of duck stamps are deposited in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund and are available to be spent without further appropriation for waterfowl conservation projects. CBO estimates that the net effects of enacting the bill would be insignificant for each year and over the 2013-2022 period because the legislation would not have a significant impact on the number of federal duck stamps purchased. S. 2071 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. On December 14, 2011, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 3117, the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2011, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on November 17, 2011. The two bills are nearly identical, and the estimated costs are the same. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von Gnechten. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made by the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no changes to existing law.