BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 1844 (Gallagher) - Hunting and fishing licenses: reduced
license fees: veterans
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|Version: May 27, 2016 |Policy Vote: N.R. & W. 8 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Narisha Bonakdar |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: AB 1844 requires the California Department of Fish and
Wildlife (CDFW) to reduce the lifetime sportsman's, lifetime
hunting, and lifetime fishing license fees by 25 percent for
honorably discharged veterans.
Fiscal
Impact: Unknown, but significant revenue loss to CDFW from
discount sales of hunting and fishing licenses (Fish and Game
Preservation Fund, and Lifetime License Trust Account).
According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, as of 2014,
approximately 1.8 million Veterans reside in California, with
331,645 receiving monthly disability compensation (and therefore
already eligible for discounted licenses). This bill increases
eligibility by approximately 1.5 million (from 331,600 to 1.8
million Veterans).
As an example, a lifetime hunting or fishing license currently
AB 1844 (Gallagher) Page 1 of
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costs at least $517 (and up to up to $844). Under this bill, the
lowest cost lifetime license would be discounted by $129 (up to
$388). If only a quarter of a percent (.25 percent) of eligible
California Veterans purchase a discounted lifetime license, the
associated revenue loss would equal $474,462.
Background: The CDFW manages California's fish, wildlife, and
plant resources. It also regulates hunting and sport fishing
within the state. Each year, the Fish and Game Commission sets
license fees and take restrictions, as well as other regulations
that the CDFW implements and enforces. California law requires
that most licenses and other CDFW program fees are set at a
level sufficient to cover administrative costs.
Under current law, an individual must obtain a hunting license
prior to taking any bird or mammal, and a fishing license prior
to taking any fish, reptiles, or amphibians. In many cases,
additional tags, validations, or enhancements are required to
take certain species or from certain areas.
Fish and wildlife offers a variety of different types of hunting
and fishing licenses, including a lifetime license option. The
cost of a lifetime license depends on the applicant's age.
Currently, the cost for a lifetime hunting or fishing license is
$517.00 for persons 9 years or younger, $844.50 for persons 10
to 39 years old; $761.00 for persons 40 to 61 years old; and
$517.00 for persons 62 years old or older.
Certain groups are eligible for free or a reduced fee annual
hunting and sport fishing licenses. Low income senior citizens,
veterans with a 50 percent or greater service-connected
disability, and recovering service members, as defined, are
eligible for a reduced fee fishing license ($6.95). Free sport
fishing licenses are provided to low-income Native Americans and
mobility impaired, blind, or developmentally disabled
individuals. Reduced fee hunting licenses are available to
hunters under age 18 ($12.45), veterans with a 50 percent or
greater service-connected disability ($6.95), and recovering
service members ($6.95).
Proposed Law:
AB 1844 (Gallagher) Page 2 of
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This bill:
1)Requires CDFW to reduce the lifetime sportsman's license fee
by 25 percent for honorably discharged veterans.
2)Requires CDFW to reduce the lifetime hunting license fee by 25
percent for honorably discharged veterans.
3)Requires CDFW to reduce the lifetime sport fishing license fee
by 25 percent for honorably discharged veterans.
Related
Legislation: AB 1972 (Chau) expands the population of veterans
eligible for the Distinguished Veterans Parks Pass to include
all veterans with 50 percent or greater service disability, not
just those who served in times of war. AB 1972 is pending in
this committee.
Staff
Comments:1)
This bill provides unique benefits to one population over others
that might be equally in need or deserving of these benefits.
This disparate treatment creates pressure to provide similar
benefits to additional populations to resolve the disparity. It
may also create pressure to expand the benefits offered to this
population. As such, staff notes that this bill may result in
significant cost pressures on state resources in addition to the
costs outlined in the fiscal impact statement.
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