BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
1995 (Gaines)
Hearing Date: 06/28/2008 Amended: 06/15/2010
Consultant: Brendan McCarthy Policy Vote: NR&W 7-0
AB 1995 (Gaines), Page 2
_________________________________________________________________
____
BILL SUMMARY: AB 1995 requires the Department of Fish and Game
to sell replacements for lost stamps or endorsements purchased
through the Automated License Data System for $3.00 per stamp or
endorsement.
_________________________________________________________________
____
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Fund
Revenue losses Up to $50 per year Special
*
* Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
_________________________________________________________________
____
STAFF COMMENTS:
Under current law, individuals must possess a hunting or fishing
license to take fish or game in the state. In addition to the
base fishing or hunting license, current law often required
hunters or anglers to purchase an additional stamp which allows
him or her to take certain species. Hunting licenses cost
between $6.25 and $137.75. Fishing licenses cost between $6.25
and $106.50. Stamps range in price from $2.50 to $17.25. For
example, a California resident who wishes to hunt for ducks must
purchase a Resident Hunting license ($39.25) and a Duck Stamp
($17.25).
If a person loses his hunting or fishing license, the Department
allows him to purchase a replacement license at a reduced cost
($8.75), provided the person shows proof of the original
purchase or signs an affidavit attesting to the original
purchase. However, the Department does not sell replacement
stamps. Thus, a person who has lost a hunting or fishing license
must purchase new stamps at full cost.
Currently, the Department sells licenses and endorsements
directly to the public or through licenses agents (e.g. sporting
goods stores), using a paper based system. For several years,
the Department has been developing the Automated License Data
System, which will use specially designed kiosks to issue
licenses and endorsements, and retain information on the
licenses and endorsements a hunter or angler has purchased.
AB 1995 (Gaines), Page 2
("Endorsement" is the Department's term for a stamp that is
issued through the Automated License Data System and would be
printed directly onto the license.)
AB 1995 provides that if a hunter or angler loses a license
purchased through the Automated License Data System, any
replacement stamps or endorsements can be purchased for $3.00
(to be indexed for inflation).
By requiring the Department to sell replacement stamps and
endorsements for $3.00, the bill will reduce revenues (since
$3.00 is generally less than the cost of a stamp or
endorsement). Under the current paper-based system of issuing
licenses, the Department does not track how many stamps or
endorsements have been sold as replacements. Based on the number
of replacement licenses sold in 2009, staff estimates that the
Department generated about $70,000 in revenues from the sale of
stamps purchased to replace previously purchased stamps.
Reducing the cost of these replacement stamps and endorsements
will likely cause revenue losses of up to $50,000 per year.
Staff notes, however, that the implementation of the Automated
License Data System should reduce the Department's
administrative costs to issue licenses, stamps, and
endorsements, including replacements. Thus the administrative
burden to the Department to issue a replacement stamp or
endorsement should be considerably less.