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Committee schedules additional hearing on bill lowering senior hunting license age
Summary
Proponent testimony for House Bill 64 — which would lower the senior discount age for Ohio hunting licenses from 66 to 65 — was heard and the committee agreed to hold another hearing next week to allow additional testimony and a likely vote.
At a meeting of the Ohio House Natural Resources Committee, members heard proponent testimony on House Bill 64, the Senior Sportsman Fairness Act, and agreed to hold another hearing next week to allow additional witnesses and a probable vote.
The bill would lower the age at which a resident qualifies for a senior discount on an Ohio hunting license from 66 to 65. Kevin Mullet, president of Hunters Advocate of Ohio, testified in favor of the measure, saying the change would help “preserve these traditions” and support wildlife management by encouraging continued senior participation in hunting.
Mullet described hunting as both a conservation practice and a family tradition that “connects us to our heritage, our land, our communities, and our families.” He thanked Representatives David Thomas and Kelly Dieter for sponsoring the bill and said the reduced age would help seniors “pass down this family past time to the younger generations.” Javan Mullet, a board member of Hunters Advocate of Ohio, accompanied him and was available for questions.
Chair Jones said, after consulting with Ranking Member Rogers and Vice Chair Rob Blasdell, the committee would hold an additional hearing the following week to provide more opportunity for testimony and to “probably vote it out” at that meeting. No public opposition witnesses appeared during this session. There was no formal vote on the bill during this hearing.
The committee first approved the minutes from its February 2025 meeting without objection before taking up HB 64.
The committee’s scheduling of an additional hearing leaves the bill active; further testimony and any formal action will be recorded at the next hearing.
