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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

Introduced by Senators Dahle and Allen

February 21, 2025

An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 7150 of, and to add and repeal Sections 712.2 and 3033.2 of, the Fish and Game Code, relating to fish and wildlife.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement and administer various wildlife protection and habitat conservation programs and to enforce the state’s hunting and fishing laws. Existing law requires the department to issue hunting licenses that authorize the take of birds and mammals, and sport fishing licenses that authorize the take of fish, reptiles, or amphibians, in accordance with prescribed laws. Existing law sets the fees for those licenses at specified rates and requires those fees to be adjusted annually for inflation. Existing law requires the department to issue reduced fee hunting and sport fishing licenses to specified individuals, as provided.

This bill would require the department, until January 1, 2031, to issue 2032, to issue, beginning no later than January 1, 2027, a reduced fee hunting license to a qualified recipient who is a resident of the state and has not been convicted of a violation of the Fish and Game Code and has provided adequate documentation to the department, as specified. department. The bill would prohibit the department from providing a reduced fee hunting license to a person unless the department is satisfied that the person provided adequate documentation of eligibility. The bill would also require the department, until January 1, 2031, 2032, to issue reduced fee sport fishing licenses in accordance with these provisions. The bill would require the Director of Fish and Wildlife to submit a report to the Legislature on or before October 1, 2029, that evaluates the effect of the reduced fee for hunting and sport fishing licenses, as specified.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 712.2 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read:

712.2.

(a) On or before October 1, 2029, the director shall submit a written report to the Legislature that evaluates the effect of the reduced fee for hunting and sport fishing licenses issued pursuant to Sections 3033, 3033.2, and 7150.

(b) The report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include all of the following information:

(1) Information regarding sales of reduced fee licenses pursuant to Sections 3033, 3033.2, and 7150 and use of free licenses pursuant to 7151.

(2) The cost to the department and the commission from administering and implementing the reduced fee and free licenses and any additional programs provided solely to holders of these licenses.

(3) Evidence of any changes in participation by those who had and had not previously purchased sport fishing or hunting licenses before becoming eligible for the reduced fee or free license.

(4) Any other relevant information at the discretion of the director.

(c) For purposes of the report required pursuant to this section, the director shall collect all relevant, appropriate, and sufficient data necessary to evaluate the effect of the reduced fee licenses to sportfishing and hunting participation in the state, including information about data collection and enforcement costs. Data collection efforts pursuant to this subdivision shall avoid duplication and use data collected for other purposes, to the extent feasible.

(d) (1) The report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is inoperative on October 1, 2033, and, as of January 1, 2034, is repealed.

SEC. 2.

Section 3033.2 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read:

3033.2.

(a) Pursuant to this section, the department shall shall, beginning no later than January 1, 2027, issue to a qualified recipient, who is a resident of the state and has not been convicted of a violation of this code, a reduced fee hunting license that authorizes the licensee to take a bird or mammal as authorized by this code and regulations adopted pursuant to this code.

(b) The license fee for a reduced fee hunting license shall be the same amount as the license fee required for a license issued pursuant to Section 3033.

(c) (1) A person applying for a reduced fee hunting license pursuant to this section shall submit adequate documentation to the department to determine whether the person is, in fact, eligible for a reduced fee hunting license.

(2) The department shall not provide a reduced fee hunting license to a person unless it is satisfied that the person has provided adequate documentation of eligibility for that license.

(3) The commission shall adopt regulations to establish which material demonstrates eligibility for the programs receipt of public benefits under a program described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d).

(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2031, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 3.

Section 7150 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read:

7150.

(a) Upon application to the department’s headquarters office in Sacramento and payment of a base fee of four dollars ($4), as adjusted pursuant to Section 713, the following persons, who have not been convicted of any violation of this code, shall be issued a reduced fee sport fishing license that is valid for one year as specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 7149.05 and that authorizes the licensee to take any fish, reptile, or amphibian anywhere in this state as otherwise authorized pursuant to this code and regulations adopted pursuant to this code for purposes other than profit:

(1) A disabled veteran having a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability upon presentation of proof of an honorable discharge from military service and proof of the disability. Proof of the disability shall be by certification from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or by presentation of a license issued pursuant to this paragraph in the preceding license year.

(2) A member of the military who is a “recovering service member” pursuant to paragraph (7) of Section 1602 of the federal National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (10 U.S.C. Sec. 1071 note). A person shall be eligible for a reduced fee sport fishing license pursuant to this paragraph upon the submission of a letter, online or in hardcopy, to the department from that person’s commanding officer or from a military medical doctor stating that the person is a recovering service member.

(3) A person over 65 years of age who is a resident of this state and who receives benefits pursuant to one of the following:

(A) Section 12200 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(B) The Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants (Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 18937) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(4) A qualified recipient who is a resident of the state and submits adequate documentation in accordance with Section 3033.2.

(b) A person applying for a reduced fee sport fishing license shall submit adequate documentation for the department to determine whether the applicant is, in fact, eligible for a reduced fee sport fishing license. The documentation shall be in the form of a letter or other document, as specified by the department, from a public agency, except as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of subdivision (a). The department shall not issue a reduced fee sport fishing license to any person unless it is satisfied that the applicant has provided adequate documentation of eligibility for that license.

(c) The adjustment of the base fee pursuant to Section 713 specified in subdivision (a) shall be applicable to the fishing license years beginning on or after January 1, 1996.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2031, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 4.

Section 7150 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read:

7150.

(a) Upon application to the department’s headquarters office in Sacramento and payment of a base fee of four dollars ($4), as adjusted pursuant to Section 713, the following persons, who have not been convicted of any violation of this code, shall be issued a reduced fee sport fishing license that is valid for one year as specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 7149.05 and that authorizes the licensee to take any fish, reptile, or amphibian anywhere in this state as otherwise authorized pursuant to this code and regulations adopted pursuant to this code for purposes other than profit:

(1) A disabled veteran having a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability upon presentation of proof of an honorable discharge from military service and proof of the disability. Proof of the disability shall be by certification from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or by presentation of a license issued pursuant to this paragraph in the preceding license year.

(2) A member of the military who is a “recovering service member” pursuant to paragraph (7) of Section 1602 of the federal National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (10 U.S.C. Sec. 1071 note). A person shall be eligible for a reduced fee sport fishing license pursuant to this paragraph upon the submission of a letter, online or in hardcopy, to the department from that person’s commanding officer or from a military medical doctor stating that the person is a recovering service member.

(3) A person over 65 years of age who is a resident of this state and who receives benefits pursuant to one of the following:

(A) Section 12200 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(B) The Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants (Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 18937) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(b) A person applying for a reduced fee sport fishing license shall submit adequate documentation for the department to determine whether the applicant is, in fact, eligible for a reduced fee sport fishing license. The documentation shall be in the form of a letter or other document, as specified by the department, from a public agency, except as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a). The department shall not issue a reduced fee sport fishing license to any person unless it is satisfied that the applicant has provided adequate documentation of eligibility for that license.

(c) The adjustment of the base fee pursuant to Section 713 specified in subdivision (a) shall be applicable to the fishing license years beginning on or after January 1, 1996.

(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2031. 2032.