Senator Kane Applauds Senate Passage of Legislation To Credit Sportsmen Who Paid Higher Price For Their Hunting & Fishing Licenses

Senator Rob Kane (R-32) applauded today’s Senate passage of legislation that would require the state Department of Environmental Protection to credit sportsmen who purchased their state hunting and fishing licenses before the General Assembly voted recently to lower the prices. The legislation is now subject to further action by the House of Representatives.

Senator Kane had recently led other Republican Senators in calling for the legislature to do the right thing for those who bought their state hunting and fishing licenses before the General Assembly voted to cut the costs of these licenses as part of its budget deficit mitigation plan. These fees are among those that were raised by the General Assembly last year in an effort to balance the state budget. Senator Kane had voted against the state budget that included the license fee increases.

“From my point of view, the General Assembly never should have increased these fees in the first place. Now that we have done the right thing by cutting the cost of hunting and fishing licenses, it is unfair to penalize those sportsmen who already bought theirs at the higher price. I am hopeful that the House of Representatives will follow through and pass this legislation by the time the General Assembly adjourns May 5th,” said Senator Kane.

The legislation passed by the Senate Thursday calls for the state Department of Environmental Protection to apply the difference in cost when those who purchased the more expensive licenses this year buy their licenses next year.

“I heard from many sportsmen who said that the General Assembly’s decision last year to raise the costs of hunting and fishing fees made these activities unaffordable for a lot of people. I agree. Voting to lower the costs of these licenses as part of our deficit mitigation plan was the right thing to do. But, it simply is not right to expect those who already bought their licenses to have to pay more. This legislation is intended correct the situation,” said Senator Kane.