The Arizona Game and Fish Department
is asking the Arizona Legislature to approve new
price caps for fishing and hunting licenses, stamps
and hunt permit-tag fees.
Department revenues must increase because in recent
years, income has declined while expenses have risen.
Like a business, the department cannot maintain
its current level of service while running a deficit.
The department receives no General
Fund revenues. Licenses, stamps and tag fees are
a significant source of our revenue and are the
foundation of a formula used by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to determine Arizona’s share of
federal sport fish and wildlife funds for wildlife
management.
The cost of a hunting or fishing license will not
automatically increase if fee caps are raised. The
Arizona Game and Fish Commission will still be required
to hold public meetings and follow the rulemaking
process in order to increase fees. |
| |
| Update:
May 20, 2005 |
| Governor Janet
Napolitano signed Senate Bill 1365. |
| |
| Update:
May 17, 2005 |
| An overlooked consequence
of the license fee increase bill will require new
lifetime hunting and fishing license fees to go
into effect immediately upon the signature of the
Governor, or when the bill is filed into law.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is prepared to implement these new fees
upon the Governor’s signature. It is likely
that the Governor will sign the bill before Wednesday,
May 25. If the bill is not signed or vetoed by
the Governor by May 25, the bill will be filed
into law and the fees will become effective on
that date.
Because the fee increase bill will cause a net
increase in state revenues it is mandated by the
state constitution to become effective immediately
on the signature of the Governor. The lifetime
license fees are defined in statute (ARS 17-335.01)
and are not set through rulemaking.
The statute requires the Commission to offer
lifetime licenses at fees calculated based on
a formula using the maximum fee prescribed for
the respective annual license. Thus, lifetime
license fees will increase based on the new fee
caps.
| License |
Age 0-13 |
Age 14-29 |
Age 30-44 |
Age 45-61 |
Age 62 + |
| Resident
lifetime class A, general fishing |
New |
$425 |
$450 |
$400 |
$375 |
$200 |
| Old |
$272 |
$288 |
$256 |
$240 |
$128 |
| Resident
lifetime class G, general hunting |
New |
$595 |
$630 |
$560 |
$525 |
$280 |
| Old |
$399.50 |
$423 |
$376 |
$352.50 |
$188 |
| Resident
lifetime class F, combination general
hunting and fishing |
New |
$1,020 |
$1,080 |
$960 |
$900 |
$480 |
| Old |
$714 |
$756 |
$672 |
$630 |
$336 |
| Resident
lifetime trout stamp |
New |
$255 |
$270 |
$240 |
$225 |
$120 |
| Old |
$178.50 |
$189 |
$168 |
$157.50 |
$84 |
| Lifetime wildlife
benefactor |
n/a |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
|
|
| |
| Update:
May 13, 2005 |
The
Arizona Senate yesterday approved the final version
of Senate Bill 1365 by a vote of 20-8. The hunting
and fishing fee cap bill has been forwarded to
Gov. Janet Napolitano for her consideration. |
| |
| Update:
May 12, 2005 |
The
Arizona House of Representatives voted yesterday
to approve Senate Bill 1365 by a vote of 42-12.
The hunting and fishing fee cap bill will now
be sent to the Arizona Senate for a final vote
that will approve minor language differences between
the House and Senate versions. If the Senate approves
the bill, it will be forwarded to Gov. Janet Napolitano
for her consideration. |
| |
| Update:
March 30, 2005 |
The
Arizona House Committee on Counties, Municipalities
and Military Affairs voted 10-0-1 yesterday to
approve Senate Bill 1365. The hunting and fishing
fee cap bill will next be considered by the Committee
of the Whole of the Arizona House of Representatives. |
| |
| Update:
March 10, 2005 |
| The Arizona Senate voted
20-9 today to approve Senate Bill 1365. The
hunting and fishing fee cap bill will now be considered
by the House of Representatives. |
| |
| Update:
March 7, 2005 |
Hunting
and fishing fee cap bill moving through the Senate
Senate Bill 1365 (Cannell), a bill that would allow
the department to raise certain license and tag
fees over time up to a revised cap, is scheduled
to be voted on by the full state Senate on March
10. If passed, the bill would move on to the House.
Department revenues must increase because in recent
years, income has declined while expenses have risen.
Like a business, the department cannot maintain
its current level of service while running a deficit.
However, the cost of a hunting or fishing license
will not automatically increase if fee caps are
raised. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission will
still be required to hold public meetings and follow
the rulemaking process in order to increase fees.
The bill is supported by more than 20 sportsmen's
groups. |
| |
| Update:
Feb. 9, 2005 |
| Senate Bill 1365 received
unanimous approval today by the Arizona Senate Natural
Resources and Rural Affairs Committee. The bill
will next be assigned to the Arizona Senate Rules
Committee for technical verification. |
| |
| Update:
Feb. 8, 2005 |
The
Arizona Game and Fish Commission on Feb. 7 decided
to recommend a provision be added to Senate Bill
1365 that license fees cannot be increased by
more than 50 percent of the proposed fee cap during
the first year of implementation. |
| |
| Update:
Feb. 3, 2005 |
The
Arizona Game and Fish Commission on Feb. 3 voted
to recommend the following amendments to Senate
Bill 1365 relating to hunting and fishing fees.
| - |
No more than
five percent of all deer and elk tags may
be priced at the premium level and no less
than 95 percent of all deer and elk tags may
be priced at the regular level.
| Proposed
Statutory Maximum |
| |
Regular
Hunt |
Premium
Hunt |
| Deer |
Res |
$50 |
$150 |
| Nonres |
$325
|
$1200 |
| Elk |
Res |
$150 |
$350 |
| Nonres |
$775 |
$3200
|
|
|
| - |
The disparity
between resident and nonresident guide fees
is abolished. |
| - |
The taxidermist
fee cap is increased from $65 to $250. |
|
| |
| Who
supports this proposal |
| See which sportsmen's
organizations and individuals support the proposed
license fee cap and which Arizona state legislators
have signed on to support the bill. Add your name
to the list of supporters. |
| |
| Frequently
asked questions |
| This in-depth list of
questions and answers provides complete background
on the proposed license fee cap. |
| |
| Proposed licenses
and the tag fee caps [PDF,
70kb - Revised March 28, 2005] |
| A complete listing
of all proposed fee caps for hunting and fishing
licenses and tags. |
| |
| Senate Bill
1365 [PDF,
52kb] |
| Read the bill introduced
on Jan. 27, 2005 amending Arizona Revised Statutes,
Title 17 to allow new fee caps. Please note that
the draft legislation is included with other proposed
amendments related to watercraft registration, special
big game license tags, and the transportation, possession
and sale of wildlife and wildlife parts. |
| |
| Printable
handout [PDF,
789kb] |
| Use this brochure
to hand to other interested individuals. |
| |
| Arizona
State Legislature Web site |
| Follow this link to track
the progress of the license fee cap bill. |
