Bill > SB68

Introduced Session

This bill creates a resident lifetime fishing license and provides for the establishment of a lifetime fishing trust fund. Under current law, with certain exceptions including an exception for residents under the age of 16, no person may fish in this state unless the person has a valid approval that authorizes fishing. The Department of Natural Resources issues various fishing licenses, such as resident annual fishing licenses, one-day fishing licenses, and two-day sports fishing licenses. The bill requires DNR to also issue lifetime fishing licenses to residents. Under the bill, the holder of a resident lifetime fishing license must still purchase a fishing stamp if the type of fishing in which he or she will be engaged requires such a stamp. The bill establishes the fee for a resident lifetime fishing license at 30 times the fee for a resident annual fishing license, which under current law is $19.25 plus a 75-cent issuing fee. Thus, at the current rate, a resident lifetime fishing license fee under the bill is $577.50, plus a 75-cent issuing fee. LRB-2074/1 EHS:skw 2023 - 2024 Legislature SENATE BILL 68 Under current law, all proceeds from hunting and fishing license fees are deposited in the conservation fund and appropriated to DNR for various purposes relating to fish and wildlife management. The bill creates a lifetime fishing trust fund and provides that all fees from the sale of resident lifetime fishing licenses are deposited in that trust fund. The bill provides that, each fiscal year, all interest that has accrued in the lifetime fishing trust fund and a prorated amount of the money from each resident lifetime fishing license fee must be transferred from the lifetime fishing trust fund to the conservation fund. The bill allows DNR to promulgate rules establishing a system for prorating resident lifetime fishing license fees for the purposes of this transfer. The bill requires that the system for prorating these fees must comply with the federal rules governing how lifetime licenses may be counted for purposes of this state qualifying for funding under the federal Dingell-Johnson Act. For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R)*,  Mary Felzkowski (R)*,  Lena Taylor (D)*,  Patrick Testin (R)*,  Ty Bodden (R),  James Edming (R),  Joel Kitchens (R),  Gae Magnafici (R),  Dave Murphy (R),  Jeff Mursau (R),  William Penterman (R),  Donna Rozar (R),  David Steffen (R),  Ron Tusler (R), 

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (on 04/15/2024)

Official Document