Vermont S 107: An act relating to reimbursing the Department of Fish and Wildlife for revenue lost due to issuance of free licenses

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.107
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VT LEG #380058 v.1
S.107 1
Introduced by Senator Brennan 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Fish and wildlife; licenses; revenue; reimbursement of lost fee 5
revenue 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 7
State to reimburse the Department of Fish and Wildlife for license fee revenue 8
lost when the General Assembly on or after July 1, 2025 authorizes the 9
issuance of a free hunting, fishing, trapping, combination, or lifetime license. 10
An act relating to reimbursing the Department of Fish and Wildlife for 11
revenue lost due to issuance of free licenses 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 4255 is amended to read: 14
§ 4255. LICENSE FEES 15
* * * 16
(n)(1) When the General Assembly enacts law on or after July 1, 2025 17
requiring the issuance of a free hunting, fishing, trapping, combination, or 18
lifetime license under subsection (c) of this section, the Vermont Department 19
of Fish and Wildlife shall be reimbursed for the fee revenue lost in an amount 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.107
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VT LEG #380058 v.1
equal to the revenue that would have been received if the full fee had been paid 1
to the Department for each free license issued. 2
(2) The Commissioner shall maintain an accounting of lost revenue due 3
to the issuance of free licenses that require reimbursement under subdivision 4
(1) of this subsection. The Commissioner annually on or before January 15 5
shall submit to the Department of Finance and Management the accounting of 6
lost revenue from the previous calendar year due to the issuance of free 7
licenses. Within 60 days of submission to the Department of Finance and 8
Management of the accounting of lost revenue under this subsection, the 9
Commissioner of Finance and Management shall pay from the General Fund 10
into the Fish and Wildlife Fund the amount of revenue lost due to the issuance 11
of free licenses requiring reimbursement under subdivision (1) of this 12
subsection. 13
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 14
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 15