(1) Existing law requires the Fish and Game Commission to determine the form of all licenses, permits, tags, reservations, and other entitlements issued pursuant to the Fish and Game Code and the method of carrying and displaying all licenses, except for those programs where the Department of Fish and Wildlife has fee-setting authority, in which case the department retains that authority. Existing law requires all licenses and tags to be exhibited upon demand to any person authorized by the department to enforce any law relating to the protection and conservation of fish.
This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2023, to provide an option to display a sport fishing license, validation, report card, or other sport fishing entitlement issued pursuant to the Fish and Game Code or regulations adopted
pursuant to this code electronically on a mobile device, except as provided. The bill would provide that a person who displays a sport fishing entitlement electronically on a mobile device in accordance with this provision shall be deemed to be in compliance with any requirement to possess or affix the entitlement.
(2) Existing law requires every person 16 years of age or older who takes any fish, reptile, or amphibian for any purpose other than profit to first obtain a sport fishing license for that purpose, with specified exceptions, and to have that license on their person or in their immediate possession when engaged in carrying out any activity authorized by the license. Existing law governs the issuance of calendar year and short-term sport fishing licenses, including the fees for those licenses. Under existing law, a calendar year license expires at the end of the calendar year, regardless of when issued. Existing law requires the
commission to adjust the amount of the fees for sport fishing licenses, as prescribed, to fully recover, but not exceed, all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department and the commission relating to those licenses.
This bill, instead of calendar year licenses, would require, beginning January 1, 2023, issuance of sport fishing licenses that expire 12 consecutive months after the date specified on the license. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2023, to provide applicants for these licenses the option of signing up for automatic renewal of the license by electronic payment. The bill would require the department, on or before December 1, 2028, to submit to the Legislature a report on the implementation of these provisions. The bill would require the department to collect all relevant, appropriate, and sufficient data necessary to justify the amount of the fees for these licenses, as provided. The bill would also
make nonsubstantive and conforming changes.
(3) Existing law requires, in addition to a valid California sport fishing license and any other applicable license validation, a person taking fish from ocean waters south of a line extending due west from Point Arguello for purposes other than for profit to have a valid sport fishing ocean enhancement validation permanently affixed to their sport fishing license. Under existing law, it is unlawful for a person to fish with two rods without first obtaining a second-rod sport fishing validation, in addition to a valid California sport fishing license validation, and having that validation affixed to their valid sport fishing license.
This bill would specify that, beginning January 1, 2023, a sport fishing ocean enhancement validation and a second-rod sport fishing validation are valid for 12 consecutive months beginning on the date specified on the validation
or until the expiration date of the sport fishing license, whichever is sooner.
(4) Existing law authorizes the department to allow a person to purchase a license voucher as a gift for a licensee when the licensee’s complete and accurate personal information is not provided by the license buyer at the time of purchase. Under existing law, a license purchase voucher expires and is considered void if not redeemed within the license year for which it was purchased.
This bill would require that, beginning January 1, 2023, a license purchase voucher for specified sport fishing licenses and specified sport fishing validations to expire and be considered void if not redeemed within 12 consecutive months from the date of purchase. The bill would require the sport fishing license or validation that is redeemed with a license purchase voucher to remain valid for 12 consecutive months from the date that the
voucher is redeemed.
(5) Existing law requires the department to issue a lifetime sport fishing license, upon payment of a fee, to eligible California residents and grants certain lifetime sport fishing privileges to holders of those licenses. Under existing law, a lifetime sport fishing license is valid for a one-year period from January 1 through December 31 and may be renewed annually, regardless of any lapse of the license, at no additional cost to the licensee.
This bill would, beginning January 1, 2023, instead make lifetime sport fishing licenses valid for a period of 12 consecutive months beginning on the date specified on the license.
(6) Existing law requires the department to issue a reduced fee sport fishing license to specified applicants, including a resident of the state over 65 years of age if the person’s total monthly
income from all sources does not exceed a specified amount.
This bill would instead make a resident over 65 years of age eligible for a reduced fee sport fishing license if the person receives benefits from specified state programs. The bill would, beginning January 1, 2023, make reduced fee sport licenses valid for a period of 12 consecutive months beginning on the date specified on the license.
(7) Existing law requires the department to issue free sport fishing licenses to specified applicants if certain requirements are met. Under existing law, these free sport fishing licenses are valid for a period of one or 5 calendar years, depending on the applicant.
This bill would, beginning January 1, 2023, instead make the free sport fishing licenses valid for a period of 12 consecutive months beginning on the date specified on the license.