Bill > SB718

This bill modifies California's hunting and sport fishing license regulations by introducing reduced fee licenses for certain low-income and qualifying individuals until January 1, 2031. The bill requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue reduced fee hunting licenses to state residents who have not been convicted of a Fish and Game Code violation and can provide documentation proving eligibility for specific low-income assistance programs, such as Medicaid, CalFresh, Supplemental Security Income, and various tribal and federal assistance programs. The reduced fee hunting and sport fishing licenses will cost the same as the standard low-income license fee. The bill also mandates that the Director of Fish and Wildlife submit a comprehensive report to the Legislature by October 1, 2029, evaluating the impact of these reduced fee licenses. This report must include information on license sales, administrative costs, changes in participation rates, and other relevant data. The goal is to make hunting and fishing more accessible to low-income residents while gathering data to understand the program's effectiveness. The provisions are set to expire on January 1, 2031, allowing the legislature to reassess the program's value after a decade of implementation.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB718