On May 9, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus member Governor Bill Haslam signed Senate Bill 454, which will allow the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to be reimbursed for the issuance of free or partially discounted combination hunting and fishing licenses to persons on or after January 1, 2017. The measure is not retroactive and does not impact existing exemptions or discounted licenses.
Believed to be the first of its kind in the country, the new law will ensure that the state agency receives the necessary funding generated through hunting and fishing license sales and the American System of Conservation Funding to support the TWRA’s mission to conserve and manage fish and wildlife for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of the citizens of Tennessee and its visitors.
The legislation was sponsored by Tennessee Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Senator Mike Bell. An identical bill was also filed in the House of Representatives by the Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Jay Reedy.
Representative Reedy noted the impetus for the legislation filed early on in the 2017 legislative session. “As sportsmen-legislators we are sensitive to concerns from our constituents regarding user-fees and access, but we are also committed to protecting the ‘user pays — public benefits’ structure of hunting and fishing licenses that enables the many and varied roles of the TWRA to be carried out effectively. This legislation will ensure future discussions of discounted and/or exempted licenses are well-thought out as well as provide a funding source to the TWRA for any potential lost revenue”.
Senator Bell also added, “Hunting and fishing licenses are the lifeblood of the TWRA. We understand the importance of these license dollars to both consumptive and non-consumptive users, and we want to make sure we are safeguarding the ability of the TWRA to continue the great work they’re doing across the state.”
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
