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Senate considers $3—$5 upland-game stamp to fund habitat; senators hold measure for further review
Summary
SB 63 would add a small upland-game stamp (user fee) to certain hunting licenses and allocate roughly 75% of revenues to pheasant habitat, 20% to other upland-game habitat and up to 5% for education; concerns about which licenses are covered and private-land impacts led sponsors to hold the bill for more work.
SALT LAKE CITY — Senators debated a proposal to create an upland-game habitat stamp that would add a modest user fee to hunting licenses and dedicate revenue to habitat programs.
Senator McMullen explained the stamp grew from hunter requests to fund habitat work: survey responses indicated support for a $3 increase and partial support for $5 if funds were dedicated to habitat improvement. He described an allocation scheme of roughly 75% for pheasant-related programs, 20% for other upland-game habitat work, and not more than 5% for education and assistance.
Members sought clarity on license scope and equity. Senator LeHi asked whether the stamp would apply to combination licenses and small-game licenses but not to separate fishing or big-game licenses; the floor concurred the stamp applies to upland-game and combination licenses that include upland-game, but not standalone fishing or big-game licenses. Senators also questioned whether private landowners who lease hunting access would benefit and how revenue would be distributed between public and private habitat projects.
Given remaining technical questions and public concerns about additional hunting costs, sponsors agreed to hold the measure over for further review and stakeholder consultation before final action.
