BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1844
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Date of Hearing: April 12, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Jacqui Irwin, Chair
AB 1844
(Gallagher) - As Amended March 10, 2016
SUBJECT: Hunting and fishing licenses: reduced license fees:
veterans
SUMMARY: Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to
reduce the fee required to obtain a hunting license by 25% for a
person who is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United
States, was honorably discharged, and is a resident of
California. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires DFW to reduce the fee required to obtain a lifetime
sportsman's license, an annual or lifetime hunting license, or
an annual or lifetime sport fishing license, by 25%, for any
resident of the state who is a Veteran of the United States
Armed Forces and who was honorably discharged.
2)Prohibits the Fish and Game Commission (FGC) from increasing
license fees for non-veterans to make up the loss of revenue
to DFW from the Veteran discount.
3)Requires DFW to reduce the fee required to obtain any sport
fishing report card, validation, or other entitlement required
in addition to a sport fishing license by 25% for any resident
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of the state who is a Veteran of the United States Armed
Forces and was honorably discharged, and by 50% for a Veteran
who has a 50% or greater service-connected disability.
Prohibits FGC from increasing the fee required to obtain a
sport fishing report card, validation, or other entitlement
for nonveterans to make up the loss of revenue to DFW from the
Veteran discount.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires an annual hunting license to be issued to any
resident of the state age 18 years or older upon payment of a
base fee of $31.25, to persons under age 18 years upon payment
of a base fee of $8.25, and to nonresident adults upon payment
of a base fee of $108.50. The base fees are applicable to the
2004 license year and are adjusted annually based on changes
in the Implicit Price Deflator. With annual adjustments, the
current fee levels for annual hunting licenses for 2015 are:
$47.01 for an adult resident hunting license, $12.45 for a
junior hunting license, and $163.65 for a nonresident hunting
license.
2)Requires a sport fishing license to be issued to a resident,
16 years of age or older, for a base fee of $31.25, and to a
nonresident for a base fee of $84. The base fees apply to the
2004 license year. With annual adjustments, the current
license fee for a resident adult sport fishing license in 2015
is $47.01, and for nonresidents is $126.36.
3)Authorizes a disabled Veteran or recovering service member to
purchase a reduced-fee hunting license, or a reduced-fee sport
fishing license, for a base fee of $4.00, which with annual
adjustments is currently $6.95. Defines a disabled Veteran as
a person having a 50% or greater service-connected disability
and an honorable discharge from military service. A
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recovering service member is a member of the military,
including a member of the National Guard or a Reserve, who is
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.
4)Requires a lifetime hunting license or lifetime sport fishing
license to be issued upon payment of a base fee that ranges
from $365 to $600, depending on the age of the applicant. The
base fee is applicable to the 2004 license year. Current
lifetime hunting and sport fishing license fees after annual
adjustments range from $517 to $844.50, depending on age.
Additional lifetime packages are also available for bird
hunting, big game hunting and additional fishing privileges.
5)Requires that the first $20 of fees collected from initial
sales of lifetime hunting and fishing licenses be deposited in
the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, and the balance deposited
in the Lifetime License Trust Account, with the principal
subject to investment. Authorizes the money in the Trust
Account to be invested through the Surplus Money Investment
Fund of the State, and for the interest to accrue to the Trust
Fund. Further requires that DFW transfer $29.25 from the
Lifetime License Trust Account to the Fish and Game
Preservation Fund upon issuance of each annual renewal of a
lifetime hunting or fishing license.
6)Requires the Fish and Game Commission (FGC) to adjust the
amount of all of the above fees as necessary to fully recover,
but not exceed, all reasonable administrative and
implementation costs of the DFW and FGC relating to those
licenses.
7)Makes reduced-fee sport fishing licenses available to low
income seniors for $6.95, and for free to low income Native
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Americans and persons who are blind, developmentally disabled,
or mobility impaired. Also makes free motor vehicle hunting
licenses available to any mobility impaired disabled hunter
who must use a motor vehicle to pursue game, and is either
permanently or fully confined to a wheel chair, is an amputee,
or depends on the aid of a walker or crutches to walk.
8)Requires the purchase of certain sport fishing report cards,
validations, or entitlements, in addition to a sport fishing
license, to fish for certain species of fish or in certain
locations. Examples of sport fishing report cards include a
sport fishing ocean enhancement stamp, a steelhead trout
report card, a second rod sport fishing validation, and a
salmon punch card.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown loss of revenues to DFW from discount
sales of hunting and fishing licenses to Veterans.
COMMENTS: This bill would require the DFW to issue reduced-fee
hunting and fishing licenses, and other sport fishing report
cards required to fish in addition to a sport fishing license,
to Veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
1)Author's Statement: The current discounted fee for hunting and
fishing licenses in California only applies to disabled or
recovering Veterans. The author of this bill seeks to give
Veterans more access to outdoor recreation opportunities in
California by providing discounted hunting and fishing license
fees to all Veterans, and to additionally provide discounts to
Veterans for sport fishing report cards that are required to
take specific fish or to fish in certain areas, in addition to
a sport fishing license.
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The author intends with this bill to give more access to
California Veterans and anticipates that increasing access
will expand participation in hunting and fishing by Veterans,
their families, and friends. This expanded participation
should introduce more people to sport fishing and hunting and
could lead to increased sales of licenses in future years.
The author acknowledges that one concern with this bill may be
its potential fiscal effects on the DFW. However, the author
asserts that the decrease in revenue from Veterans' purchases
of discounted fishing and hunting licenses should be made up
through an increased sales volume.
2)Basis for this Legislation: This bill arises out of a desire
to recognize the service of and sacrifices made by veterans.
There is no evidence or assertion that there is a particular
problem or barrier that the bill will solve.
3)Double-Referral: This bill was previously heard by the Water,
Parks, and Wildlife Committee, where it received a vote of
11-2.
4)Prior and Related Legislation: SB 1287 (Harman), Chapter 409,
Statutes of 2012, and SB 1288 (Harman), Chapter 410, Statutes
of 2012, required DFW to offer reduced fee sport fishing and
hunting licenses to military personnel who are recovering
service members.
AB 1387 (Runner) of 2007 would have required reduced fee
hunting and fishing licenses and free state park passes to be
made available to members of the California National Guard.
AB 1387 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 1527 (Committee on Water, Parks & Wildlife), Chapter 154,
Statutes of 2015, made technical changes to clarify the
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documentation that is sufficient to demonstrate eligibility
for a disabled Veterans reduced-fee hunting license.
AB 1972 (Chau) would extend eligibility for the state's
existing Distinguished Veteran State Park day use pass, which
currently is available to Veterans with disabilities who
served during war time, to also include Veterans with a
service-connected disability who served during peace time. AB
1972 is also pending in this committee.
SB 1081 (Morell) which is currently pending in the Senate
Natural Resources and Water Committee would require the DFW to
provide free hunting licenses to disabled Veterans and
recovering service members.
5)Support Arguments: The California Sport Fishing League is
sponsoring this bill to make fishing and hunting more
accessible to California Veterans. They assert that
California is the most expensive state in the Nation to fish,
making the need for this bill timely. According to a study
developed by the League, fishing license sales have decreased
by over 50% since 1980, and the League believes that the high
cost of fishing licenses is a barrier to participation. The
League considers this bill as a first step to reforming the
state's costly and antiquated fishing license program. Most
importantly, the League is sponsoring this bill to reward
American Veterans who have defended our freedom with honor,
and to assist them with rehabilitation by providing access to
recreation for them and their families.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
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American G.I. Forum of California
American Legion- Department of California
AMVETS- Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
California State Commanders Veterans Council
Military Officers Association of America, California Council of
Chapters
VFW- Department of California
Vietnam Veterans of America- California State Council
Opposition
None on File
Analysis Prepared by:John Spangler / V.A. / (916) 319-3550
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