What's happening
This bill provides free lifetime hunting and fishing licenses for honorably discharged veterans with a 40% or greater service-connected disability.
Why it matters
Recognizes and compensates military service-related disabilities. by offering a tangible benefit to veterans who have sacrificed for the country, specifically those with significant (40% or greater) service-connected disabilities.
Reduces financial barriers for disabled veterans. to participate in outdoor recreational activities, supporting their physical and mental health, social connection, and quality of life through free access to hunting and fishing.
May increase veteran engagement with conservation efforts and local communities. , as free lifetime licenses could encourage more veterans to participate in regulated wildlife and resource management, potentially fostering stewardship and advocacy.
Sets a precedent for state-level veteran benefits. that could influence similar policy changes in other states or prompt further expansion of veterans’ benefits within New York.
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Who cares
Honorably discharged veterans with service-connected disabilities
Those certified as having a disability of 40 percent or greater would qualify for a free lifetime license covering hunting, fishing and a turkey permit.
State sporting-license administrators
They would apply the new zero-dollar fee category while retaining the privileges and obligations of comparable short-term licenses.
Veterans who trap or use archery or muzzle-loading privileges
The bill would leave the separate lifetime fees for those licenses and privileges unchanged.
Headline styles
Free Licenses for Disabled Veterans
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Free Licenses for Disabled Veterans
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Brian Kolb
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
268
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to providing free lifetime licenses for honorably discharged, disabled veterans
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 11-0702 of the environmental conservation law, as amended by section 16 of part R of chapter 58 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
1. There are hereby created the following lifetime hunting, fishing, trapping, archery and muzzle-loading privileges and fees therefor subject to the same privileges and obligations of a comparable short term license:
Licenses Fees
a. Lifetime license including a
hunting license, fishing license
and turkey permit. If purchased,
for a child four years
of age or younger $380.00
for a child age five through
eleven years of age $535.00
for a person age twelve through
sixty-nine years of age $765.00
for a person age seventy
and over[.] $65.00
for a person who has been
honorably discharged from
service in the armed forces of the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04104-01-9
S. 268 2
United States and is certified
as having a forty percent or
greater service-connected disability. $0.00
b. Lifetime hunting license. $535.00
c. Lifetime fishing
license for a person age
sixty-nine or younger. $460.00
d. Lifetime fishing license
for a person age seventy
and over. $ 65.00
e. Lifetime trapping
license. $395.00
f. Lifetime archery privilege. $235.00
g. Lifetime muzzle-loading privilege. $235.00
h. For transfer to a person pursuant
to section 11-0704 of this title.
$50.00
The holder of a lifetime hunting license or lifetime fishing license may, at any time, convert such license to a lifetime license pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision for an additional fee equal to the difference between the current fee for the new license and the fee originally paid for the license.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to providing free lifetime licenses for honorably discharged, disabled veterans
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill provides for lifetime sportsman licenses for honorably discharged, disabled veterans without an annual renewal.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 amends Subdivision 1 of section 11-0702 of the Environmental Conservation Law to allow honorably discharged veterans who have a permanent disability to have a lifetime sportsman license without a fee and annual renewal.
Section 2 provides an immediate effective date.
Justification
Current law allows disabled veterans to purchase an annual sportsman license for a five dollar fee. This act would eliminate the need for annual renewal by allowing disabled veterans to acquire a lifetime sportsman license for no fee and no annual renewal. Given the personal sacrifices our disabled veterans have made, allowing them to enjoy hunt- ing, fishing and outdoor activities in New York for life without the requirement to annually renew and without cost, is a small gesture for their service to our nation.
Prior legislative history
S.2579-A referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs S.2579 of 2017 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs S.2215 of 2015/2016 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs and Finance S.7469 of 2014 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.