BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1709|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1709
Author: Frazier (D), et al.
Amended: 8/4/14 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMMITTEE : 9-0, 6/24/14
AYES: Pavley, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Hueso, Jackson, Lara,
Monning, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 5-0, 8/14/14
AYES: De Le�n, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
NO VOTE RECORDED: Walters, Gaines
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-0, 5/27/14 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Wildlife: hunting licenses
SOURCE : California Waterfowl Association
DIGEST : This bill, beginning July 1, 2015, increases the
eligible age for a junior hunting license from 16 to 18 years of
age until July 1, 2020.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Requires that a hunting license be issued to a resident of
this state who is 16 years of age or older upon payment of a
base fee of $31.25, and to a resident or nonresident who is
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under 16 years of age for a base fee of $8.25.
2. Requires that a hunting license be issued to a nonresident
who is 16 years of age or older upon payment of a base fee of
$108.50.
This bill:
1. Requires that a hunting license be issued to a resident of
this state who is 18 years of age or older upon payment of a
base fee of $31.25.
2. To a resident or nonresident who is under 18 years of age for
a base fee of $8.25, and shall be known as a junior hunting
license.
3. Requires that a hunting license be issued to a nonresident
who is 18 years of age or older upon payment of a base fee of
$108.50.
4. Codifies regulations providing that entry permits to
specified lands operated by the department will be issued to
persons 16 or 17 years of age in possession of a valid
resident or nonresident hunting license and authorizes those
persons to hunt by themselves, but prohibits them from being
accompanied by junior hunters.
5. Provides that the dollar amounts indicated above are in 2004
dollars and will be subject to adjustment. This bill will be
valid from July 1, 2015, through July 1, 2020.
Background
A hunting license is required for taking any bird or mammal.
Hunters must carry licenses and be prepared to show them, upon
request.
Hunting licenses are available in various categories including:
residents/at least 16 years of age, nonresident/at least 16
years of age, and under 16 years of age. There are also
nonresident licenses available for one and two day periods with
specified restrictions, hunting licenses for seniors, disabled
veterans, recovering service members, and lifetime hunting
licenses.
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The licensing year for hunting licenses runs from July 1 to June
30, of the following year. The current license prices,
including certain fees, for the July 1, 2014, through June 30,
2015, period for residents at least 16 years of age and for
persons under 16 years of age are $46.44 and $12.14,
respectively. Validations and harvest tags are required for
many species. Under existing law, a person hunting on a license
for those under 16 years of age is exempt from purchasing a duck
validation stamp, an upland game bird validation and wildlife
area hunting passes.
The state requires hunter education training for all persons who
have not formerly held a state hunting license, who do not have
a hunter education certificate of completion, or who do not have
a current, valid, hunting license from another state or
province.
Almost all sport fishing and hunting licenses are now issued
through the Automated License Data System (ALDS) which makes
licenses available for purchase on-line. ALDS is intended to
replace the paper-based licensing system. ALDS's existing
capabilities are based upon the current licensing structure.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
On-going revenue losses of approximately $270,000 annually
until 2020 to the Fish and Game Preservation Fund from reduced
hunting license sales revenue.
On-going revenue losses of approximately $130,000 until 2020
annually to various special funds from reduced sales of duck
stamps, upland game bird stamps, and wildlife area hunting
passes.
SUPPORT : (Per Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
analysis of 6/17/14; unable to reverify)
California Waterfowl Association (source)
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California Sportsman's Lobby, Inc.
Gaines & Associates
National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.
Outdoor Sportsmen's Coalition of California
Safari Club International
OPPOSITION : (Per Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
analysis of 6/17/14; unable to reverify)
Public Interest Coalition
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The California Waterfowl Association
(CWA) urges support for this bill because it will increase the
age eligibility for obtaining a junior hunting license from 16
years of age to 18 years of age.
This bill helps introduce and retain more youth in the outdoors
by providing an additional two years for which they are eligible
for a junior hunting license. The CWA notes that the cost of
the junior hunting license is about $35 less than that for an
adult hunting license for added incentive to continue hunting.
The CWA argues that 18 years of age is typically used to
distinguish between a minor and an adult, and that this price
reduction provides cost parity between hunting and fishing
licenses. They state that Colorado made the switch to 18 years
of age several years ago with little impact on revenues. They
add that this bill will encourage more young people to purchase
junior hunting licenses, providing an opportunity for them to
participate in educational hunting programs that promote an
appreciation of wildlife conservation and hunting traditions.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Public Interest Coalition writes
that "license fees should reflect the depletion of wildlife,
which impacts both citizens who "hunt" with a camera (one less
opportunity to "shoot" wildlife through a lens) and others who
shoot to kill for sport and recreation. [?] What criteria was
used for setting the new fee?" They continue, "instead of
reducing fees, we suggest amending AB 1709 to increase all fees
by at least 100% and continue increasing the fees in relation to
[the department's] Game Warden law enforcements costs and the
annual cost of living index." They further note that less than
1% of Californians purchase hunting licenses.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 76-0, 5/27/14
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AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian
Calderon, Campos, Chau, Ch�vez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,
Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fox,
Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon,
Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hern�ndez,
Holden, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal,
Maienschein, Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi,
Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Perea, John A. P�rez, V.
Manuel P�rez, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas,
Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski,
Wilk, Williams, Yamada, Atkins
NO VOTE RECORDED: Fong, Patterson, Quirk-Silva, Vacancy
RM:d 8/16/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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