Chair Schillinger and Director Christie Clark summarized the subcommittee's recommended House Bill 2 changes for the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), which the department says are funded mainly by license fees, park fees and federal dollars rather than the general fund.

Chair Schillinger told lawmakers the subcommittee added 23 positions for FWP and adopted increases for aircraft and vehicle fleet rates, wildlife operations and fisheries work. The package included a 7‑position game warden increase, overtime base adjustments, additional pilots for the agency aircraft, and items to support fisheries access and stream gauges. The subcommittee also funded AmeriCorps expansion and a state‑funding shift for boat registration reporting requirements that had previously required a federal stamp.

Director Christie Clark, who began as FWP director in December, thanked the committee and confirmed the subcommittee did not approve an education division FTE (Hunter Education) that Representative Powers said an amendment would try to restore. Clark introduced staff policy support Quentin Kudula and offered to answer questions.

Representative Powers highlighted that the department operates primarily on state special revenue and federal funds — hunting and fishing licenses, park fees — and that no general fund dollars were being added for the approved DPs. Chair Schillinger and staff reiterated that one of the larger additions was 23 new positions totaling roughly $2.7 million in the first fiscal year and $2.85 million the second year for a biennial total around $5.5 million.

The subcommittee adopted a net FY‑to‑biennium FWP increase of approximately 9.4% ($25 million) over base in House Bill 2, but the adopted budget was slightly lower than the executive proposal for the biennium. Members flagged rising litigation caseloads and proprietary maintenance rate changes that affect agency revenue and rates.

Separately, the committee accepted a department move to shift roughly $1.1 million in federal boat‑related revenue to state special revenue to remove a burdensome federal stamp requirement for some boat owners.

The subcommittee indicated it may consider an amendment to restore the education division positions.