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Session of 2026
HOUSE BILL No. 2547
By Representative Chauncey
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AN ACT concerning wildlife; relating to hunting; requiring a valid upland
game bird stamp prior to taking any upland game bird in this state;
exempting hunters who are not required to have a hunting license,
hunters on private land and lifetime license holders; establishing the
upland game bird restoration fund and the upland game bird restoration
program; requiring moneys from such fund to be used for the
procurement and release of upland game birds in Kansas; establishing a
youth season for taking upland game birds; setting a maximum fee for
an upland game bird stamp; amending K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 32-988 and
repealing the existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) Sections 1 through 4, and amendments thereto, shall be
known and may be cited as the upland game bird restoration act.
(b) As used in this act, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) "Act" means sections 1 through 4, and amendments thereto.
(2) "Program" means the upland game bird restoration program.
(3) "Secretary" means the secretary of wildlife and parks.
(4) "Upland game bird" means any grouse, partridge, pheasant,
prairie chicken or quail.
(5) "Upland game bird stamp" means a valid stamp issued by the
Kansas department of wildlife and parks pursuant to section 2, and
amendments thereto.
New Sec. 2. (a) (1) In addition to any other license, permit or stamp
required by law or rules and regulations of the secretary, an upland game
bird stamp is required prior to taking any upland game bird in this state.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to lawful hunting by a person who
is:
(A) Not required to hold a hunting license pursuant to K.S.A. 32-919,
and amendments thereto;
(B) hunting only on private land; or
(C) a lifetime license holder.
(b) An upland game bird stamp shall be valid throughout the state
from the date of issuance and shall expire at 12:00 a.m. on July 1
following such stamp's issuance.
(c) Each upland game bird stamp shall be validated by the signature
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HB 2547 2
of the stamp holder written across the face of such stamp.
(d) (1) The fee for an upland game bird stamp shall be in the amount
prescribed pursuant to K.S.A. 32-988, and amendments thereto.
(2) The secretary shall remit all moneys received by the secretary
from fees under this section to the state treasurer in accordance with
K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such
remittance, the state treasurer, notwithstanding any other law to the
contrary, shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the credit
of the upland game bird restoration fee fund. All expenditures from the
upland game bird restoration fee fund shall be made only for the purposes
of this act in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the
director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by
the secretary or the secretary's designee. Notwithstanding any other law to
the contrary, no moneys shall be transferred or otherwise revert from this
fund to the state general fund by appropriation act or other act of the
legislature.
New Sec. 3. There is hereby established in the state treasury the
upland game bird restoration fee fund. The upland game bird restoration
fee fund shall be administered by the secretary. All expenditures from such
fund shall be for the procurement and release of upland game birds within
the state of Kansas. All expenditures from such fund shall be made in
accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of
accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the
secretary or the secretary's designee.
New Sec. 4. (a) There is hereby established the upland game bird
restoration program. The purpose of the program is to:
(1) Promote continuing hunting opportunities for the youth of
Kansas;
(2) reestablish populations of upland game birds on public hunting
land; and
(3) increase tourism revenue.
(b) The secretary shall:
(1) Implement and administer the program;
(2) enter into service contracts with vendors pursuant to the
competitive bid requirements of K.S.A. 75-3739, and amendments thereto ,
for the release of upland game birds that have been procured through the
program;
(3) establish a 10-day youth season for the taking of upland game
birds, which shall begin 10 days prior to the opening day of each regular
open season. Only a person who is 17 years of age or younger and
accompanied by an adult who is 18 years of age or older may hunt during
the youth season for the taking of upland game birds; and
(4) adopt rules and regulations to implement the program in
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accordance with K.S.A. 32-805 and 32-807, and amendments thereto.
Sec. 5. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 32-988 is hereby amended to read as
follows: 32-988. (a) The secretary is authorized to adopt, in accordance
with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, rules and regulations fixing
the amount of fees for the following items, subject to the following
limitations and subject to the requirement that no such rules and
regulations shall be adopted as temporary rules and regulations:
Big game permits
Resident (other than elk permit): maximum $100
Nonresident (other than elk permit): maximum $400
Elk permit: maximum $350
Nonresident mule deer stamp: maximum $150
Nonresident applications: maximum $25
Combination hunting and fishing licenses
Resident: maximum $50
Lifetime: maximum $1,000; or 8 quarterly payments, each maximum
$150
Nonresident: maximum $200
Commercial dog training permits: maximum $25
Commercial guide permit or associate guide permit
Resident: maximum $250
Nonresident: maximum $1,000
Commercial harvest or dealer permits: maximum $200
Commercial prairie rattlesnake harvesting permits
Resident or nonresident with valid hunting license: maximum $5
Resident or nonresident nonfirearm without valid hunting license:
maximum $20
Controlled shooting area operator license: maximum $400
Duplicate licenses, permits, stamps and other issues of the department:
maximum $10
Falconry
Permits: maximum $300
Examinations: maximum $100
Field trial permits: maximum $25
Fishing licenses
Resident: maximum $25
Lifetime: maximum $500; or 8 quarterly payments, each maximum
$75
Nonresident: maximum $75
Five-day nonresident: maximum $25
Institutional group: maximum $200
Special nonprofit group: maximum $200
Twenty-four-hour: maximum $10
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Fur dealer licenses
Resident: maximum $200
Nonresident: maximum $400
Furharvester licenses
Resident: maximum $25
Lifetime: maximum $500; or 8 quarterly payments, each maximum
$75
Nonresident: maximum $400
Game breeder permits: maximum $15
Persons with a physical or developmental disability hunting and fishing
permits: maximum $5
Hound trainer-breeder running permits: maximum $25
Hunting licenses
Resident: maximum $25
Lifetime: maximum $500; or 8 quarterly payments, each maximum
$75
Nonresident 16 or more years of age: maximum $125
Nonresident under 16 years of age: maximum $75
Controlled shooting area: maximum $25
Forty-eight-hour waterfowl permits: maximum $25
Migratory waterfowl habitat stamps: maximum $8
Mussel fishing licenses
Resident: maximum $200
Nonresident: maximum $1,500
Rabbit permits
Live trapping: maximum $200
Shipping: maximum $400
Raptor propagation permits: maximum $100
Rehabilitation permits: maximum $50
Scientific, educational or exhibition permits: maximum $10
Upland game bird stamp
Resident: maximum $15
Nonresident: maximum $25
Wildlife damage control permits: maximum $10
Wildlife importation permits: maximum $10
Wild turkey permits
Resident: maximum $100
Nonresident: maximum $400
Resident turkey tag: maximum $20
Nonresident turkey tag: maximum $30
Special permits under K.S.A. 32-961, and amendments thereto: maximum
$100
Miscellaneous fees
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Special events on department land or water: maximum $200
Special departmental services, materials or supplies: no maximum
Other issues of department: no maximum
Vendor bond: no maximum
(b) The fee for a landowner-tenant resident big game or wild turkey
hunting permit shall be an amount equal to 1/2 the fee for a general resident
big game or wild turkey hunting permit.
(c) The fee for a big game or wild turkey hunting permit for a resident
under 16 years of age shall be an amount not to exceed 1/2 the fee for a
general resident big game or wild turkey hunting permit.
(d) The fee for a furharvester license for a resident under 16 years of
age shall be an amount equal to 1/2 the fee for a resident furharvester
license.
(e) For a resident who is at least 65 years of age, but less than 75
years of age:
(1) The fee for an annual hunting license shall be an amount equal to 1/2 the fee for a general annual hunting license;
(2) the fee for an annual fishing license shall be an amount equal to 1/2
the fee for a general annual fishing license; and
(3) the fee for an annual combination hunting and fishing license
shall be an amount equal to 1/2 the fee for a general annual combination
hunting and fishing license.
(f) Any person who is a resident of this state and satisfies the
requirements to be considered a disabled veteran under K.S.A. 2025 Supp.
32-934, and amendments thereto, shall be exempt from the hunting and
fishing license fees listed in subsection (a).
(g) The secretary may establish, by rules and regulations adopted in
accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, different fees for
various classes and types of licenses, permits, stamps and other issuances
of the department which that may occur within each item as described
under subsection (a).
Sec. 6. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 32-988 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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