CA SB 718

Title: Hunting and sport fishing licenses: reduced fees.
Author: Benjamin J. Allen

Summary
SB 718, as amended, Dahle. Hunting and sport fishing licenses: reduced fees. 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 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. 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, 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.

Status
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

Bill Documents
CA SB 718 - 04/28/25 - Amended Senate
04/28/25 - CA SB 718 (04/28/25 - Amended Senate)