Why It Matters: Hunters and anglers generate the vast majority of state level funding for conservation through the “user pays – public benefits” structure that is the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). State fish and wildlife agencies rely on funds generated by sportsmen and women through sporting license sales and excise tax revenue from the Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration programs to deliver professional, science-based fish and wildlife management. However, as inflation increases and license fees remain lagging, alternative funding measures may be needed to ensure state fish and wildlife agencies can continue their missions to manage resources held in the public trust.
Highlights:
- Senate Bill 2183 (SB 2183), sponsored by Tennessee Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) member Representative Pat Marsh, and House Bill 2138 (HB 2138), sponsored by Caucus member Senator John Stevens, would allocate 10% of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) payments in lieu of taxes paid to the state to the wildlife resources fund.
- Senate Bill 2572 (SB 2572), sponsored by Caucus Co-Chair Senator Paul Rose, and House Bill 2583 (HB 2583), sponsored by Caucus Co-Chair and National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council member Representative Jesse Chism, would establish the Tennessee Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund.
- Senate Bill 2609 (SB 2609), sponsored by Caucus Co-Chair Senator Steve Southerland, and House Bill 2118 (HB 2118), sponsored by Representative John Crawford, would allocate all sales tax revenue generated from the sale of recreational vessels, vessel accessories, and wildlife related outdoor recreation goods to the wildlife resources fund.
As indicated by the above-mentioned efforts, dedicated conservation funding is front and center before the Tennessee General Assembly during the 2026 regular session. To no one’s surprise, the Tennessee Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus is heavily involved in sponsoring legislation to support the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) in providing a much-needed funding source and modernizing the TWRA’s existing funding model that relies nearly entirely on hunters and anglers.
Since the last increase in license fees in 2015, inflation has increased operating costs by 30% while license sales and associated revenues have remained mostly flat. With that, Tennessee now looks to secure an additional source of dedicated funding that maintains hunters and anglers as the primary funders of conservation but lightens the load while improving Tennessee’s ability to manage its public trust resources.
SB 2183/HB 2138 would allocate 10% of the TVA’s payments in lieu of taxes paid to the state to the wildlife resources fund. It is important to note that this is not an additional rate hike that TVA customers would shoulder, nor does this legislation impose any additional tax on Tennesseans. SB 2183/HB 2138 simply reallocates existing dollars that are currently being paid to the state.
SB 2572/HB 2583 would establish the Tennessee Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund (Fund). Monies disbursed from the Fund to counties, municipalities, state agencies, and nongovernmental entities could be used for the following: improvement of state park outdoor recreation features, restoration or enhancement of privately owned agricultural lands and forests that support conservation of soil, water, fish habitat, and wildlife resources; acquisition to acquire and improve access to public lands and waters used for outdoor recreation; restoration or enhancement of wetlands, native forests, grasslands, and other habitats and to acquire areas of clean water, wildlife, hunting, fishing, or military installation buffering for outdoor recreation. Tennessee looks to join other Southern states such as Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi in implementing an Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund.
Finally, SB 2609/HB 2118 would create a conservation sales tax in the Volunteer State. Specifically, this measure would apply to recreational vessels, vessel accessories, and wildlife-related outdoor recreation goods. This is not a new idea, as several other states, Virginia and Texas for example, already have existing conservation sales tax structures in place.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) thanks members of the Caucus for their leadership on this important initiative underway in the Volunteer State. CSF looks forward to working with the Caucus and other in-state and national partners on a path forward to providing dedicated conservation funding in Tennessee.
