Assembly Bill 551 aims to enhance the management and testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids by requiring the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish and administer a program that includes chronic wasting disease sampling stations. These stations will allow hunters to drop off deer carcass parts for testing, and the DNR is authorized to contract with private entities to conduct the sampling and compensate them per sample taken. The bill allocates a total of $1,000,000 for the 2025-27 fiscal biennium to support this initiative.

The bill amends current law by adding a specific appropriation for the chronic wasting disease sampling station program under section 29.063 (7) and modifies the existing funding structure in section 20.370 (1) (mu) to include this program. Specifically, it increases the funding for the DNR by $500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support the establishment and operation of these sampling stations.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 20.370(1)(mu), 20.370