SB 232 — An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in fishing licenses, further providing for disabled veterans and former prisoners of war and for deployed Pennsylvania National Guard members and repealing provisions relating to reserve component of armed forces members.

PRINTER'S NO.   185

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         SENATE BILL
                         No. 232
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY PENNYCUICK, ROTHMAN, BROOKS, FONTANA, LANGERHOLC,
        BROWN, BARTOLOTTA, COSTA, J. WARD, STEFANO, MASTRIANO AND
        FARRY, FEBRUARY 4, 2025

     REFERRED TO GAME AND FISHERIES, FEBRUARY 4, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in fishing licenses, further providing for disabled
 3      veterans and former prisoners of war and for deployed
 4      Pennsylvania National Guard members and repealing provisions
 5      relating to reserve component of armed forces members.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.     Sections 2707(a) and (b) and 2707.1 heading and
 9   (a) of Title 30 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are
10   amended to read:
11   § 2707.    Disabled veterans and former prisoners of war.
12      (a)    General rule for disabled veterans.--
13             [(1)   Any disabled veteran who has a disability incurred
14      in any war or armed conflict which consists of the loss of
15      one or more limbs, or the loss of use of one or more limbs,
16      or total blindness, or who is 100% disabled as certified by
17      the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and who
18      meets the qualifications of section 2701 (relating to
19      resident fishing licenses), shall be issued a free resident
 1    fishing license upon application to the commission or a
 2    county treasurer. An application submitted by a disabled
 3    veteran shall, in addition to any information required under
 4    section 2701, contain a statement that the applicant is a war
 5    or armed conflict veteran and that the qualifying disability
 6    was service incurred. The issuing agent or the commission may
 7    require the production of the discharge papers of the
 8    applicant.]
 9          (2)   Any disabled veteran who has a service-connected
10    disability [incurred in any war or armed conflict and
11    possesses a disability] rating between 60% and 99% as
12    certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
13    and who meets the qualifications of section 2701 (relating to
14    resident fishing licenses) shall be issued a resident fishing
15    license at the cost of $1 upon application to the commission
16    or a county treasurer. An application submitted by a disabled
17    veteran shall, in addition to any information required under
18    section 2701, [contain a statement that the applicant is a
19    war or armed conflict veteran and that the qualifying
20    disability was service incurred. The issuing agent or the
21    commission may require the production of the discharge papers
22    of the applicant.] include a copy of the disability rating
23    determination letter from the United States Department of
24    Veterans Affairs.
25    * * *
26    (b)   Lifetime licenses.--
27          (1)   [If a disabled veteran who qualifies for issuance of
28    a free resident fishing license under subsection (a)(1)
29    presents documentation to show that the qualifying disability
30    is permanent, the] The commission or county treasurer shall

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 1      issue a free disabled veteran lifetime fishing license[.] to
 2      a disabled veteran who:
 3                  (i)    has a service-connected disability rating of
 4            100%;
 5                  (ii)    submits a copy of the disability rating
 6            determination letter from the United States Department of
 7            Veterans Affairs to the commission or county treasurer
 8            stating that the disability rating of 100% is a
 9            determination by the United States Department of Veterans
10            Affairs; and
11                  (iii)    meets the qualifications of section 2701.
12            (2)    A disabled veteran who meets the qualifications
13      under subsection (a) or a former prisoner of war who meets
14      the qualifications of section 2701(b) shall be issued a
15      senior resident lifetime fishing license at the cost of $1
16      upon application to the commission or a county treasurer.
17      * * *
18   § 2707.1.      Deployed Pennsylvania National Guard members and
19                  reserve component of armed forces members.
20      (a)   Eligibility.--The commission or a county treasurer shall
21   issue one annual resident fishing license at a cost of $1 to any
22   person eligible under section 2701 (relating to resident fishing
23   licenses) for the license who provides documentation that within
24   the previous 24 months the person was deployed [overseas] as a
25   member of the Pennsylvania [Army National Guard or Air National
26   Guard on active Federal service] National Guard or as a member
27   of the reserve component of the armed forces as defined in 51
28   Pa.C.S. § 7301 (relating to definitions) for a period of 60
29   consecutive days or more or was released early from such service
30   because of an injury or disease incurred in the line of duty.

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 1   Only one [Pennsylvania National Guard] annual resident fishing
 2   license under this section may be issued for each qualifying
 3   deployment of a person applying for the license for the previous
 4   24-month period.
 5      * * *
 6      Section 2.    Section 2707.2 of Title 30 is repealed:
 7   [§ 2707.2.    Reserve component of armed forces members.
 8      (a)     Eligibility.--The commission or a county treasurer shall
 9   issue one annual resident fishing license at a cost of $1 to any
10   person eligible for the license under section 2701 (relating to
11   resident fishing licenses) who provides documentation that
12   within the previous 24 months the person was deployed overseas
13   as a member of the reserve component of the armed forces
14   pursuant to 51 Pa.C.S. § 7301 (relating to definitions) for a
15   period of 60 consecutive days or more or was released early from
16   service because of an injury or disease incurred in the line of
17   duty. Only one fishing license under this section may be issued
18   for each qualifying deployment of a person applying for the
19   license.
20      (b)     Regulations.--The commission may promulgate regulations
21   to implement this section.]
22      Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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