SB 1311: Fishing and hunting: annual combined hunting and fishing licenses.

Existing law requires every person 16 years of age or older who takes any fish, reptile, or amphibian for any purpose other than profit to first obtain a sport fishing license for that purpose, with specified exceptions, and to have that license on his or her person or in his or her immediate possession when engaged in carrying out any activity authorized by the license. Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue an annual sport fishing license to a resident or nonresident upon payment of the applicable fee. Under existing law, the annual sport fishing license is valid for the period of a calendar year, or, if issued after the beginning of the year, for the remainder of the year.

Under existing law, a hunting license grants the privilege to take birds and mammals. Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue an annual hunting license to a resident or nonresident upon payment of the applicable fee. Under existing law, the annual hunting license is valid for a term of one year from July 1 to June 30, inclusive, or, if issued after the beginning of the term, for the remainder of the term.

This bill would create the annual sportsmans combined hunting and fishing license that affords the holder of the license the same privileges as the annual hunting and fishing licenses and is valid for a term of one year from July 1 to June 30, inclusive, or, if issued after the beginning of that term, for the remainder of the term. The bill would limit the issuance of these licenses to residents and would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue these licenses from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2026, inclusive, upon payment of a fee of $85. The bill would require the fee to be adjusted annually pursuant to a specified index. The bill would require the department to collect all relevant, appropriate, and sufficient data necessary to evaluate the benefit of the annual sportsmans combined hunting and fishing license and to justify the amount of the fee. The bill would require the department to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the annual sportsmans combined hunting and fishing license on or before December 1, 2024.