Senator Reynolds Says Increasing Hunting and Fishing License Fees a Bad Idea

Oklahoma State Senate Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 30 For Immediate Release: April , 2003 Clip
Sen. Jim Reynolds
Senator Reynolds Says Increasing Hunting and Fishing
License Fees a Bad Idea Senator Jim Reynolds, ROKC, criticized two House bills Wednesday for the fee increases they establish for fishing and hunting licenses.
HB 3 would raise the cost of an annual fishing license from 2.0 to 20, while HB 9 would raise the cost of a lifetime fishing license from 0 to 200 and the cost of a lifetime hunting license from 00 to 00.
Both measures passed the House on Tuesday.
My view of this issue is kind of like the TV commercials for Master Card A good fishing rod: 30, a good lure: 2, affordable fishing and hunting licenses: priceless. Unfortunately, the priceless part is exactly where were going to see prices increase. Its truly sad for our families who participate in outdoor sports, Senator Reynolds said.
Senator Reynolds attempted to pass an amendment to HB 3 that would allow residents to obtain a fiveday fishing permit for .0. However, the amendment was defeated by the Senate.
I thought it would be fair to create an affordable way for families who dont fish very often to get a temporary permit. Unfortunately, some members of our body dont seem to think thats a fair concession. Under this bill, a family of four will be forced to pay 0 for fishing licenses they may only use once a year. I think thats just ridiculous, Senator Reynolds added.
HB 3 and HB 9 are now headed back to the House for further consideration.