BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 345
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Date of Hearing: August 3, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 345
(Berryhill) - As Amended June 2, 2015
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|Policy |Water, Parks and Wildlife |Vote:|15 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill creates a reduced-fee junior sport fishing license for
16- and 17-year olds and allows a charitable organization to
possess fish in excess of limits, if the fish are donated.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to reduce
the cost of annual resident ($43.50) and nonresident fishing
licenses ($117) issued to 16- and 17-year olds to the cost of
one-day sport fishing licenses ($14) for five years beginning
on January 1, 2018. The junior license remains valid for the
calendar year, regardless of whether the person will become
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older than 18 years of age during that year.
2)Exempts charitable organizations and donor intermediaries from
the fish possession limit under sport fishing licenses.
3)Directs the Fish and Game Commission to recommend legislation
or adopt regulations to clarify how processed fish should be
treated for the purpose of the possession limit.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)Annual DFW revenue losses of approximately $660,000 for five
years resulting from reduced fishing license fees for 16- and
17-year olds (Fish and Game Preservation Fund).
In 2014, a total of 22,100 16 - and 17-year olds purchased
sport fishing licenses (22,000 residents and 100
nonresidents). Assuming around the same number purchase sport
fishing licenses in future years, DFW would lose approximately
$660,000 in license revenue annually. This reduction in
revenue may be offset to some extent by increases in sales to
this age group resulting from the fee reduction. However,
over 47,000 additional individuals would need to purchase a
fishing license to recoup the losses resulting from this
provision.
2)Minor and absorbable costs associated with the changes to
possession limits and requirements of the Fish and Game
Commission.
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COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, in the last 35 years, sport
fishing license sales have dropped by 55% while the cost of an
annual license has increased 840%. The author asserts this
decline threatens important conservation, fish stocking and
wildlife programs funded by license revenues. This bill is
intended to encourage more individuals to become sport fishers
by establishing a lower cost junior fishing license.
This bill also exempts the possession or out-of-season limits
for charitable organizations so bona fide charitable
organizations may use fish donated by recreational anglers at
their functions without fear of being in violation of
possession or out-of-season limit requirements.
2)Prior and related legislation: AB 1709 (Frazier), Chapter
456, Statutes of 2014, raised the eligibility for a lower cost
junior hunting license from under age 16 to under age 18. SB
392 (Berryhill), Chapter 346, Statutes of 2013, allowed
charitable organizations and donor intermediaries to possess
game birds and mammals in excess of possession limits if they
can provide documentation showing these animals were legally
caught and transferred to the organization.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
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