State Senate Approves Roraback Bill for Free Fishing Licenses for Active Duty Servicemen and Women

The State Senate today approved legislation that would exempt Connecticut citizens who are actively serving in the military from fishing license fees. State Senator Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen) was the lead proponent of the bill and has introduced this legislation for the last three legislative sessions. This proposal was originally brought to his attention by Mr. Robert Nelson, who works as the custodian at the Goshen Center School and has two children on active duty in the Middle East who had come home to Goshen on leave and had been forced to pay $20 for a fishing license.

“This is a fitting way to conclude Memorial Day weekend, a time when we honor those who gave their lives to help maintain our country’s freedoms. Thousands of Connecticut citizens are currently defending our freedom both on U.S. soil and abroad. With troops being deployed every week, many of our state’s military personal who enjoy fishing may not even reside in Connecticut for an entire year. For that reason and as a gesture of gratitude for their service to our country, it is only appropriate that we exempt them from fishing license fees, ” said Senator Roraback.

The bill was offered as an amendment to state Senate Bill 24, An Act Extending Health Insurance Coverage Based on Military Service and passed unanimously.
Senator Roraback is an Assistant Minority Leader who has served the citizens of Brookfield, Caanan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, North Caanan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Washington, and Winchester since 2001.