Posted: | March 28, 2017 04:05 PM |
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From: | Senator Charles T. McIlhinney, Jr. |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Game Commission Fee Increase |
In the near future I intend to introduce legislation that would increase certain hunting license fees issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The legislation will provide for the following increases: Adult resident hunting $19 to $29 Bear hunting resident $15 to $20 Bear hunting nonresident $35 to $40 Antlerless deer resident $5 to $10 Antlerless deer nonresident $25 to $40 Archery deer resident $15 to $20 Archery deer nonresident $25 to $40 Muzzleloader deer resident $10 to $20 Muzzleloader deer nonresident $20 to $40 Adult nonresident hunting $100 to $150 Seven-day nonresident small game $30 to $50 Adult resident furtaker $19 to $29 Adult nonresident furtaker $80 to $100 Migratory game bird resident $2 to $5 Migratory game bird nonresident $5 to $10 Special wild turkey resident $20 to $25 Special wild turkey nonresident $40 to $50 New categories of licenses: Senior nonresident hunting $100 Senior nonresident furtaker $80 Senior nonresident combo hunting and furtaker $150 Ultimate outdoor combo (bear, archery, muzzleloader, furtaker, migratory game bird, special wild turkey) resident $110 nonresident $350 The Game Commission is responsible for managing 480 species of birds and mammals throughout the Commonwealth. Additionally, the PGC maintains over 1.5 million acres of State Game Lands. As one of the Commonwealth’s independent agencies, the PGC does not receive any general fund tax dollars. Instead, they rely solely on income derived from the sale of licenses, fines, federal reimbursement, natural resource agreements, right-of-way contracts, etc. License sales make up nearly 40% of the total revenue brought in each year. With the other streams of revenue in decline, the PGC needs to bolster their ability to generate income to avoid further, and detrimental cuts in operations. The PGC has not received a license increase since 1999. This proposal would give them the ability to continue providing the valuable services that hunters and citizens alike have come to appreciate. This increase would apply to general hunting and trapping licenses, as well as add-on permits. It is important to note that general hunting and trapping licenses for junior and senior hunters would remain unchanged. Please join me in supporting this much needed legislation for the sportsmen and women of Pennsylvania. |
Introduced as SB752