BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  SB 1287
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   June 12, 2012

                   ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
                                Jared Huffman, Chair
                    SB 1287 (Harman) - As Amended:  April 26, 2012

           SENATE VOTE  :   33 - 0
           
          SUBJECT  :   Sport Fishing Licenses - Recovering Service Members

           SUMMARY  :   Allows a recovering service member of the military to 
          be eligible for a reduced fee sport fishing license.  
          Specifically,  this bill  :  Adds recovering service members to 
          those eligible for a reduced fee fishing license. A person would 
          need to submit a letter from their commanding officer or from a 
          military medical doctor stating that they are a recovering 
          service member to be eligible for the reduced fee.

           EXISTING LAW   

          1)Requires that a fishing license, issued through the Department 
            of Fish and Game, be held by any person who is 16 years of age 
            or older when taking any fish, shell fish, reptile, or 
            amphibian in California.
             
          2)Provides that a reduced fee annual sport fishing license may 
            be offered to:

             a)   Disabled veterans having a 50% or greater 
               service-connected disability with proof of honorable 
               discharge and proof of the disability.

             b)   California residents over the age of 65 who meet 
               described financial criteria.

          3)Makes fishing licenses valid for the calendar year, or if 
            issued after the beginning of the year, the remainder thereof, 
            for a set fee.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   According to the Senate Appropriations 
          Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.

           COMMENTS  :    Active military personnel who are recovering 
          service members are defined as a member of the Armed Forces, 
          including a member of the National Guard or a Reserve, who is 








                                                                  SB 1287
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          undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, and is 
          in an outpatient status while recovering from a serious injury 
          or illness related to the member's military service.

          Recreation can improve people's physical and mental health and 
          well-being, and is widely used by the U.S. military for training 
          and rehabilitation. The U.S. Marines Wounded Warrior Regiment 
          Strategic Plan for 2011-2012 states a goal to "Empower wounded, 
          ill and injured Marines and families by providing a variety of 
          leisure/recreation activities and sporting opportunities to aid 
          in their recovery process and to promote a healthy and 
          productive lifestyle." Wounded Warrior programs are efforts by 
          the U.S. Armed Services to care for recovering service members 
          during their transition back to civilian life.  This system of 
          support and advocacy guides soldiers from evacuation through 
          treatment and rehabilitation until they return to duty or leave 
          the military.  One Wounded Warrior program states that "Fishing 
          is a solace?the opposite of war?gentle and healing".

          Several states currently offer reduced cost (Florida, Michigan, 
          Nevada, New Mexico, Virginia, Wisconsin) or free fishing 
          licenses (Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Vermont) for active duty 
          military personnel.

           Supporting Arguments:  The author states, "A significant part of 
          the healing process for seriously injured service members is 
          enabling and encouraging them to experience some of the 
          recreational activities they enjoyed prior to their injury or 
          illness. SB 1287 would allow these service members to enjoy 
          California's natural resources as part of their rehabilitative 
          care at a discounted price. Those in uniform who remain in 
          active service and who are participating in therapy for their 
          injuries are currently not covered by present law and thus not 
          recognized by DFG as with their veteran counterparts. SB 1287 
          remedies this disparity and allows DFG to recognize both 
          veterans and wounded warriors equitably."

           Suggested Amendments:

         1)Per request of the author, add the following co-authors:  
          Senators Dutton, Fuller, Runner, Assemblymembers Harkey, 
          Garrick, Miller, Jefferies, Portantino, Mansoor

        2)Due to concurrent pending legislation (AB 1786, Mansoor) that 
          alters the period of license issuance for full price annual 








                                                                  SB 1287
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          fishing licenses from a calendar year to a period of 12 
          consecutive months, the committee recommends amending the 
          portion of this legislation that addresses the period of license 
          issuance to be on the same time frame as that for full price 
          licenses with the following:

              Section 7150.
              (a) Upon application to the department's headquarters office 
              in Sacramento and payment of a base fee of four dollars 
              ($4), as adjusted pursuant to Section 713, the following 
              persons, who have not been convicted of any violation of 
              this code, shall be issued a reduced fee sport fishing 
              license that is valid  for the calendar year of issue, or, if 
              issued after the beginning of the year, for the remainder 
              thereof  for one year as specified in section 7149 or 7149.05 
              and that authorizes the licensee to take any fish, reptile, 
              or amphibians anywhere in this state as otherwise authorized 
              pursuant to this code and regulations adopted pursuant 
              thereto for purposes other than profit:

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :

           Support  
          American Legion-Department of California
          AMVETS Department of California
          California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
          California State Commanders Veterans Council
          Military Order of the Purple Heart of the United States, Inc., 
          Department of California
          Vietnam Veterans of America - California State Council
           
            Opposition  
          None on file.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Mandy Arens / W., P. & W. / (916) 
          319-2096