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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Edward G. Staback |
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Legislation to lower requirements for military
hunting and fishing licenses passes House
HARRISBURG, March 3 – State Rep. Ed Staback, D-Lackawanna/Wayne, said the House recently passed two bills that would allow more servicemen and women to qualify for military reduced-fee hunting and fishing licenses.
Staback said his legislation, House Bills 94 and 95, would lower the number of days needed by Pennsylvania residents serving in the National Guard or reserve component of the armed forces in overseas deployment to qualify for a $1 hunting license and $1 fishing license.
Currently, to purchase these discounted licenses, service members must provide proof they have been deployed overseas for more than 180 consecutive days. Staback's legislation would lower the requirement to 60 days for both types of licenses.
"By opening this program, more service members will qualify for the $1 license, including Air National Guard members who operate on a 120-day deployment," Staback said.
Staback said the Pennsylvania Game Commission has estimated that between 300 and 400 additional hunting licenses would be sold if the law is changed, at a cost of $6,500 to the Game Commission. Likewise, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission expects about 125 more $1 licenses would be sold.
Staback said identical legislation passed unanimously through the House in the last legislative session, before being stalled in the Senate.
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