BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER
Senator Fran Pavley, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: SB 1081 Hearing Date: March 29,
2016
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|Author: |Morrell | | |
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|Version: |March 28, 2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Matthew Dumlao |
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Subject: Hunting and sport fishing: free and reduced license
fees: veterans
BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is
responsible for managing hunting and sport fishing within the
state. Current law requires CDFW to issue hunting licenses to
take birds or mammals and a fishing license to take fish,
reptiles, or amphibians. In many cases, the license is the
minimum level of certification a hunter or angler needs to take
an animal. For some birds and mammals, CDFW issues tags to
allow hunters to take specific animals from certain areas. Each
year, the total number of tags issued by CDFW for each animal as
well as the number of tags each licensee is eligible to receive
is restricted. Similarly, CDFW requires report cards, stamps, or
validations for certain fish and regions.
Currently, hunting and sport fishing licenses each cost $47.01
for California residents.
Under existing law, certain groups are provided hunting and
sport fishing licenses for free or a reduced fee.
Reduced fees for sport fishing licenses are provided to low
income senior citizens, disabled veterans and recovering service
members. A disabled veteran is defined as a person having a 50
percent or greater service-connected disability. Currently, the
cost for a reduced-fee hunting or sport fishing license is
$6.95.
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Free sport fishing licenses are provided to low income Native
Americans as well as to individuals who are blind,
developmentally disabled, or mobility impaired. Hunting licenses
are provided free-of-charge for mobility impaired individuals.
Hunting tags are issued for big game animals, including bear,
elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, and wild pigs. Tags are
also issued for bobcats. Since demand for big game hunting tags
exceeds the number of animals that can be killed sustainably
each year, most hunting tags are given out through a drawing.
Applying for an animal-specific tag drawing costs between $5.97
and $38.62. The tags themselves cost between $22.42 and
$445.35. Furthermore, taking ducks and some upland game birds
requires a separate validation ($20.52 and $9.46, respectively).
In addition to a sport fishing license, CDFW requires a report
card for certain fish including abalone, sturgeon, North Coast
salmon, steelhead, and spiny lobster. Report cards range from
$6.22 to $22.42. Fishing with a second rod and fishing in
certain ocean waters require a validation ($14.61 and $5.14,
respectively).
PROPOSED LAW
For all resident and nonresident honorably discharged veterans,
this bill would
Establish a flat fee of $5.00 for a hunting or sport
fishing license.
Reduce the fee by 50 percent for a hunting tag, hunting
tag drawing application, validation, sport fishing report
card, stamp or other entitlement required in addition to a
valid hunting or sport fishing license.
For all resident and nonresident disabled veterans or recovering
service members, this bill would
Provide hunting and sport fishing license
free-of-charge.
Provide free-of-charge a hunting tag, hunting tag
drawing application, validation, sport fishing report card
or other entitlement required in addition to a valid
hunting license or sport fishing license.
In addition, this bill would prohibit raising the fees on all
SB 1081 (Morrell) Page 3
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other hunters or anglers in order to recover the cost of the
benefits provided pursuant to this bill.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
According to the author, "there are only limited reductions for
sport fishing and hunting licenses for the men and women who
have devoted their lives to the service of their country." The
author went further saying "this will allow those who devoted
their lives to the service of our country to more easily
participate in fishing and hunting in California."
California Sportfishing League, the sponsor of this bill, stated
that "this legislation intends to remove barriers to
participation for American veterans so that they too can enjoy
the great outdoors with their friends and family, especially
during a time of physical rehabilitation."
According to the California Waterfowl Association, the "high
financial cost of hunting and fishing, which includes not only
license related fees buts also equipment, travel, and access to
land expenses can be a barrier to hunting and fishing
participation. SB 1081 would help to address this cost issue
for a well-deserving segment of our population."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
None received.
COMMENTS
Creates a new category receiving a benefit: Under
existing law, groups eligible for reduced fees have either
a disability (including disabled veterans and recovering
service members) or meet certain low income requirements.
This bill would make a new category - honorably discharged
veterans - eligible for reduced fees.
Fiscal impact of reduced fees: The money collected
through license, tags, stamps and other fees go into
supporting CDFW's programs. Many of the hunting tags and
stamps provide revenue for dedicated accounts. This bill
does not provide direction for how to recoup the reduction
in revenue.
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According to information provided by CDFW, veterans make up
approximately 6.24% of the California population, and if a
similar percentage is applied to all hunting and fishing
licenses, the loss of revenue to CDFW would be approximately $3
million. Furthermore, approximately 17,500 resident and
nonresident disabled veterans currently take advantage of
reduced-fee licenses. Making licenses free-of-charge to
disabled service members may reduce revenue on the order of
$118,000. Recovering service members are a small group (less
than 50 individuals since the law went into effect in 2013) and
the benefits conferred to them by this bill would likely have
very little fiscal impact. These estimates do not include the
reductions in fees for hunting tags, fishing report cards,
stamps, and other entitlements. The full fiscal impact,
therefore, is likely to be higher.
Assembly Bill 1844 (Gallagher): AB 1844 is a related
bill, but it does not conflict or overlap with SB 1081.
While SB 1081 reduces annual fees, AB 1844 reduces fees for
lifetime licenses and certain lifetime report cards,
validations and other fees. Specifically, AB 1844 would
reduce the lifetime fishing license or lifetime hunting
license fee by 25 percent for all honorably discharged
veterans. The fee for sport fishing report cards,
validations, or other entitlements would be reduced for all
honorably discharged veterans by 25 percent; for veterans
who also have a service-connected disability, the fees
would be reduced by 50 percent.
Federal Duck Stamp: SB 1081 would not alter the cost of
the Federal Duck Stamp, which is administered by the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service. All hunters who take
migratory waterfowl are required to purchase a Federal Duck
Stamp, which currently costs $25. The majority of money
raised through the Federal Duck Stamp Program goes into
buying or leasing wetland habitat on national wildlife
refuges.
SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS
None.
SUPPORT
California Sportfishing League (Sponsor)
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California Waterfowl Association
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
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council
OPPOSITION
None Received
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