Posted: | January 10, 2017 10:32 AM |
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From: | Senator James R. Brewster |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Fishing License Fee Increase |
In the near future, I plan on reintroducing an updated version of SB 1103 PN 1502 of the 2015-2016 session. This legislation will help the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, or PFBC, to keep up with inflation and continue to deliver the services expected by the Commonwealth’s anglers by increasing the fees for certain licenses and permit fees for the first time since 2005. The increases will be in increments over a six-year period of time. My home county of Allegheny annually leads Pennsylvania in the number of fishing license sales and boat registrations so, I am intimately aware of the importance of maintaining the fiscal health of the agency that serves Pennsylvania’s anglers, boaters, and the businesses that benefit from the $1.2 billion in statewide fishing-related expenditures each year. Consistent with the long-established user payer/user benefits model of funding fish and wildlife conservation, fees from fishing licenses and associated permits comprise the largest portion of the annual Fish Fund revenue - 70 % - for the PFBC’s work on behalf of anglers and aquatic resources. While I support efforts of the PFBC to diversify its funding base, the core revenue stream of license and permit sales are expected to continue to be fundamental to the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission of protecting, conserving, and enhancing aquatic resources and providing fishing and boating opportunities. My legislation will also remove the word “salmon” from the name of the permit since the PFBC no longer produces salmon. Representative Kortz will be introducing a companion bill in the PA House of Representatives. Thank you for your consideration. |
Introduced as SB460