1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to game and fish; reducing fishing license fees for persons 65 years of age
1.3 and older; transferring money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections
1.4 97A.055, subdivision 2, by adding a subdivision; 97A.475, subdivision 6.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 97A.055, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7 Subd. 2.Receipts. The commissioner of management and budget shall credit to the
1.8 game and fish fund all money received under the game and fish laws and all income from
1.9 state lands acquired by purchase or gift for game or fish purposes, including receipts from:
1.10 (1) licenses and permits issued;
1.11 (2) fines and forfeited bail;
1.12 (3) sales of contraband, wild animals, and other property under the control of the division,
1.13 except as provided in section 97A.225, subdivision 8, clause (2);
1.14 (4) fees from advanced education courses for hunters and trappers;
1.15 (5) reimbursements of expenditures by the division;
1.16 (6) contributions to the division; and
1.17 (7) revenue credited to the game and fish fund under section 297A.94, paragraph (h),
1.18 clause (1); and
1.19 (8) general fund transfers under subdivision 2c.
2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 97A.055, is amended by adding a subdivision to
2.2 read:
2.3 Subd. 2c.Reimbursement for reduced fishing license fees; 65 years of age and
2.4 older. (a) By August 15 each year, the commissioner of management and budget must
2.5 transfer the estimated lost revenue amount calculated under paragraph (b) from the general
2.6 fund to the game and fish fund.
2.7 (b) By August 1 each year, the commissioner of natural resources must provide the
2.8 commissioner of management and budget the number of licenses sold during the previous
2.9 fiscal year to residents 65 years of age and older at the license fee provided under section
2.10 97A.475, subdivision 6, clause (8). The commissioner of management and budget must
2.11 multiply this number by the difference between the fee amount provided in section 97A.475,
2.12 subdivision 6, clause (1), and the fee amount provided under section 97A.475, subdivision
2.13 6, clause (8), to estimate the amount of revenue lost each fiscal year as a result of the lower
2.14 fee amount charged to persons 65 years of age or older.
2.15 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 97A.475, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
2.16 Subd. 6.Resident fishing. Fees for the following licenses, to be issued to residents only,
2.17 are:
2.18 (1) for persons age 18 or over and under age 65 to take fish by angling, $25;
2.19 (2) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling, for a combined license for a married
2.20 couple, $40;
2.21 (3) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by spearing from a dark house, $6, and the
2.22 person must possess an angling license;
2.23 (4) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for a 24-hour period selected by
2.24 the licensee, $12;
2.25 (5) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for a consecutive 72-hour period
2.26 selected by the licensee, $14;
2.27 (6) for persons age 18 or over to take fish by angling for three consecutive years, $71;
2.28 and
2.29 (7) for persons age 16 or over and under age 18 to take fish by angling, $5; and
2.30 (8) for persons age 65 or over to take fish by angling, $15.
3.1 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
3.2 Sections 1 to 3 are effective July 1, 2024.
