S2567

An Act concerning all around sportsman and fishing licenses and amending P.L.1982, c.180 and R.S.23:3-4.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 11 of P.L.1982, c.180 (C.23:3-1.1) is amended to read as follows:

11. a. The division shall issue a special license combining the resident's firearm hunting license, the resident's bow and arrow license and the resident's fishing license as provided under R.S.23:3-4 into one license to be designated as the "All Around Sportsman License."

b. The "All Around Sportsman License" shall authorize its holder to hunt with a shotgun or bow and arrow and to angle or attempt to take fish in the fresh waters of this State at the time, and in the manner, provided by law and the State Fish and Game Code, except that this license shall not authorize its holder to take trout from the fresh waters of the State.

c. A resident of this State above the age of 16 years may procure the "All Around Sportsman License" from the division at Trenton or from its agents as designated by the division. It shall not be valid unless it contains the signature of the owner written in ink. Each license issued under this section shall expire on December 31 next following its issuance.

d. The division shall determine the form of the "All Around Sportsman License." The fee for this license shall be $71.25 and an issuance fee of $1.00, or as adjusted by the Fish and Game Council pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1982, c.180 (C.23:3-1a). The fee for an “All Around Sportsman License” where application is made at the same time with another resident person above 16 years of age and below 65 years of age who has not bought a New Jersey fishing license after 2010 or a nonresident person above 16 years of age who has not bought a New Jersey fishing license after 2010 shall be $61.25 and an issuance fee or $1.00, or as adjusted by the Fish and Game Council pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1982, c.180 (C.23:3-1a). The amounts remitted to the State Treasury from the collection of this fee shall be deposited to the credit of the "hunters' and anglers' license fund."

(cf: P.L.1999, c.282, s.7)

2. R.S.23:3-4 is amended to read as follows:

23:3-4 a. license issued to a person above 16 years of age, who has an actual and bona fide domicile in this State at the time of the application for the license and who has had an actual and bona fide domicile in this State for at least six months immediately prior thereto, provided that for a resident's trapping license the person shall be above 12 years of age. These licenses shall be designated as the resident's firearm hunting license, the resident's bow and arrow license, the resident's trapping license, and the resident's fishing license.

(1) The resident's firearm hunting license shall authorize its holder to hunt with hounds and firearms only, and a fee of $26.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor, except that a person above the age of 65 years shall be charged a fee of $14.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

(2) The resident's bow and arrow license shall authorize its holder to hunt with bow and arrow only, and a fee of $30.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor, except that a person above the age of 65 years shall be charged a fee of $15.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

(3) `The resident's trapping license shall authorize its holder to trap only, and a fee of $31.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor, except that a person above 12 years and under 16 years of age shall be charged no fee.

(4) The resident's fishing license shall authorize its holder to fish only, and a fee of $21.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor, except that (a) in any case where the applicant is above 70 years of age and is otherwise qualified, no license shall be required, and (b) a person above 65 years and under 70 years of age shall be charged a fee of $11.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

(5) The resident’s fishing buddy license shall authorize its holder to fish only, and can only be obtained through application at the same time with another resident person above 16 years of age and below 65 years of age who has not bought a New Jersey fishing license after 2010 or with a nonresident person above 16 years of age who has not bought a New Jersey fishing license after 2010. A fee of $10.75 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor.

(6) Any resident of this State who is afflicted with total blindness, upon application to the division, shall be entitled to a resident's fishing license without fee or charge.

b. A license issued to a person above 16 years of age not entitled to a resident's license, authorizing him to trap or to hunt, except that a nonresident's two-day small game firearm hunting license shall not permit the taking, hunting, or killing of deer or turkey. These licenses shall be designated as the nonresident's firearm hunting license, the nonresident's bow and arrow license, the nonresident's trapping license, and the nonresident's two-day small game firearm hunting license.

(1) The fees for the nonresident's firearm hunting license and the nonresident's bow and arrow license shall each be $134.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

(2) The fee for the nonresident's trapping license shall be $199.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

(3) The fee for a nonresident's two-day small game firearm hunting license shall be $35.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

c. A license issued to a person above 16 years of age not entitled to a resident's license, authorizing him to fish only. These licenses shall be designated as the nonresident's annual fishing license, the nonresident’s annual fishing buddy license which can only be obtained through application at the same time with another nonresident person above 16 years of age who has not bought a New Jersey fishing license after 2010 or another resident person above 16 years of age and below 65 years of age who has not bought a New Jersey fishing license after 2010, the nonresident's two-day fishing license, valid for a period of two consecutive days, and the nonresident's seven-day vacation fishing license, valid for a period of seven consecutive days.

(1) The fee for the nonresident's annual fishing license shall be $33.00 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

(2) The fee for the nonresident’s annual fishing buddy license shall be $16.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

[(2)] (3) The fee for the nonresident's two-day fishing license shall be $8.00 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

[(3)] (4) The fee for the nonresident's seven-day fishing license shall be $18.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.

d. Every license issued hereunder shall be void after December 31 next succeeding its issuance, except the one-day hunting license, which shall expire on the date of issuance; the nonresident's seven-day fishing license, which is valid only for seven consecutive days after date of issuance; the nonresident's two-day fishing license, which shall expire on the day after the date of issuance; and the nonresident's two-day small game firearm hunting license, which shall expire on the day after the date of issuance.

Any license issued hereunder to a person under 16 years of age shall be void after December 31 of the year in which the licensee becomes 16 years of age.

e. The fees for licenses set forth in this section may be adjusted by the Fish and Game Council pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1982, c.180 (C.23:3-1a).

(cf: P.L.1999, c.282, s.10)

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill creates an annual New Jersey resident and nonresident “Fishing Buddy License” and amends current law for all around sportsman and fishing licenses.

The “Fishing Buddy License” provides the financial incentive of half-priced fishing licenses for both (1) the existing angler who purchases a license together with a new angler, and (2) the new angler who purchases a license together with an existing angler. The bill also provides that the fee for the “All Around Sportsman License” would be reduced by $10 for each “fishing buddy” who buys that license.