HF 3876

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/19/2024 05:02pm

A bill for an act
relating to game and fish; reducing fishing license fees for persons 65 years of age
and older; transferring money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections
97A.055, subdivision 2, by adding a subdivision; 97A.475, subdivision 6.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 97A.055, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Receipts.

The commissioner of management and budget shall credit to the
game and fish fund all money received under the game and fish laws and all income from
state lands acquired by purchase or gift for game or fish purposes, including receipts from:

(1) licenses and permits issued;

(2) fines and forfeited bail;

(3) sales of contraband, wild animals, and other property under the control of the division,
except as provided in section 97A.225, subdivision 8, clause (2);

(4) fees from advanced education courses for hunters and trappers;

(5) reimbursements of expenditures by the division;

(6) contributions to the division; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(7) revenue credited to the game and fish fund under section 297A.94, paragraph (h),
clause (1) new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (8) general fund transfers under subdivision 2c new text end .

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 97A.055, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 2c. new text end

new text begin Reimbursement for reduced fishing license fees; 65 years of age and
older. new text end

new text begin (a) By August 15 each year, the commissioner of management and budget must
transfer the estimated lost revenue amount calculated under paragraph (b) from the general
fund to the game and fish fund.
new text end

new text begin (b) By August 1 each year, the commissioner of natural resources must provide the
commissioner of management and budget the number of licenses sold during the previous
fiscal year to residents 65 years of age and older at the license fee provided under section
97A.475, subdivision 6, clause (8). The commissioner of management and budget must
multiply this number by the difference between the fee amount provided in section 97A.475,
subdivision 6, clause (1), and the fee amount provided under section 97A.475, subdivision
6, clause (8), to estimate the amount of revenue lost each fiscal year as a result of the lower
fee amount charged to persons 65 years of age or older.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 97A.475, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Resident fishing.

Fees for the following licenses, to be issued to residents only,
are:

(1) for persons age 18 or over new text begin and under age 65 new text end to take fish by angling, $25;

(2) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling, for a combined license for a married
couple, $40;

(3) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by spearing from a dark house, $6, and the
person must possess an angling license;

(4) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for a 24-hour period selected by
the licensee, $12;

(5) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for a consecutive 72-hour period
selected by the licensee, $14;

(6) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for three consecutive years, $71;
deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(7) for persons age 16 or over and under age 18 to take fish by angling, $5 new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (8) for persons age 65 or over to take fish by angling, $15 new text end .

Sec. 4. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 3 are effective July 1, 2024.
new text end