Why It Matters: The acquisition of hunting and fishing licenses should not be an overly complicated process. However, as license frameworks evolve over time and more licenses are added, it is easy for hunters, anglers, and trappers to become confused when trying to ensure that they are properly licensed. Fortunately, sportsmen and women in the Sooner State are one step closer to a simplified system that, thanks to what will be the state’s first license fee increase in over two decades, will continue to support conservation funding.
Highlights:
- Last week, Oklahoma Senate Bill 941 was amended on the House Floor and passed by an overwhelming margin during Oklahoma’s Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol.
- The amendments made in the House further increased many license fees, ensuring that hunters and anglers are able to continue to serve as the sole source of funding for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
- In support of the effort, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and Ducks Unlimited joined forces to host the Sportsmen’s Day activities which included a breakfast briefing on SB 941.
Last Wednesday, during Oklahoma’s Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol, the Oklahoma House of Representatives approved positive amendments to Senate Bill 941 and passed the legislation out of the House by a vote of 88-3. Ahead of this vote, members of the Sooner State’s sporting-conservation community participated in Sportsmen’s Day activities which included a breakfast briefing on SB 941, an opportunity for legislators to visit with groups throughout the Capitol and culminated in the House’s actions on SB 941 later in the day.
During the breakfast briefing, members of the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus heard from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), Ducks Unlimited (DU), and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC). The discussion included an overview of the American System of Conservation Funding, the unique “user pays – public benefits” framework that serves as the sole source of revenue for ODWC. This was followed by an update on SB 941, a much-needed update to Oklahoma’s convoluted hunting and fishing license structure that, along with some associated fee increases, will simplify opportunities for hunters and anglers while ensuring their ability to support ODWC’s conservation efforts.
In addition to the wide support for SB 941 demonstrated by both the sporting-conservation community and the Oklahoma House of Representatives as indicated by the bill’s margin of passage, several members of the Oklahoma Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus further solidified their support by adding their names to the list of the bill’s co-sponsors. SB 941 now returns to the Senate for potential concurrence with the House’s amendments. CSF will continue to monitor this legislation and provide additional updates as it moves through the legislative process.
