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*sb0588*
SENATE BILL 588
M2 6lr2005
By: Senator Simonaire
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Natural Resources – Complimentary Fishing and Hunting Licenses – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of altering certain requirements and authorizations for the issuance of 3
certain complimentary fishing and hunting licenses; requiring the Department of 4
Natural Resources to compile certain statistics relating to complimentary hunting 5
licenses at a certain time each year; and generally relating to complimentary hunting 6
and fishing licenses. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Natural Resources 9
Section 4 –607(a)(1) and (b), 4 –745(e), 4 –1004.1(a) and (e)(2), 10 –301(l), 10 –301.3, 10
and 10–303 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Natural Resources 15
Section 4–1004.1(e)(4) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Natural Resources 21
2 SENATE BILL 588
4–607. 1
(a) (1) The Department may issue annually a complimentary angler’s license 2
to the President of the United States, the governor of any state, and any official OR 3
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER of the game and fish department of any other state THAT 4
RECIPROCALLY OFFERS A COMPLIMENTARY ANGLER’S LICENSE. 5
(b) Not more than 20 complimentary angler’s licenses ISSUED UNDER 6
SUBSECTION (A)(1) OF THIS SECTION for each state other than M aryland shall be 7
outstanding at any time. 8
4–745. 9
(e) (1) In this subsection, “former prisoner of war” means a person who, while 10
an active service member, was forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by an enemy 11
government or its agents, or a hostile force, during a period of armed conflict. 12
(2) The Department may issue a lifetime complimentary Chesapeake Bay 13
and coastal sport fishing license to any Maryland resident who certifies that the resident 14
is: 15
(i) A former prisoner of war; 16
(ii) An American veteran who the U.S. Department of Veterans 17
Affairs determines is unemployable; or 18
(iii) A 100% service connected disabled American veteran. 19
(3) The Department may issue a lifetime complimentary Chesapeake Bay 20
and coastal sport fishing license to an out–of–state person: 21
(i) Who certifies that the person is: 22
1. A former prisoner of war; 23
2. An American veteran who the U.S. Department of 24
Veterans Affairs determines is unemployable; or 25
3. A 100% service connected disabled American veteran; and 26
(ii) Whose state of residence extends similar privileges to former 27
prisoners of war, American veterans who the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 28
determines are unemployable, or 100% service connected disabled American v eterans of 29
this State. 30
SENATE BILL 588 3
(4) A complimentary Chesapeake Bay and coastal sport fishing license is 1
not transferable AND SHALL BE ISSUED WITHOUT A FEE. 2
(5) The Department may issue annually a complimentary Chesapeake Bay 3
and coastal sport fishing license to the President of the United States, the governor of any 4
state, and any official OR ENFORCEMENT OFFICER of the game and fish department of 5
any other state THAT RECIPROCALLY OF FERS A COMPLIMENTARY SPORT FISHING 6
LICENSE. 7
(6) Not more than 20 complimenta ry Chesapeake Bay and coastal sport 8
fishing licenses ISSUED UNDER PARAGRA PH (5) OF THIS SUBSECTION for each state 9
other than Maryland shall be outstanding at any time. 10
4–1004.1. 11
(a) In this section, “former prisoner of war” means [an individual ] A PERSON 12
who, while [serving in the active military, naval, or air service of the United States ] AN 13
ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBE R, was forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by an 14
enemy government or its agents, or a hostile force, during a period of armed conflict. 15
(e) (2) (I) [The] SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRAPHS (II) AND (III) 16
SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , THE Department [shall] MAY issue a 17
LIFETIME complimentary recreational oyster license to [a]: 18
1. A resident of the State who certifies that the resident is: 19
[(i)] A. 1. A former prisoner of war; 20
[(ii)] B. 2. An American veteran who [is determined to be 21
unemployable by ] the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs DETERMINES IS 22
UNEMPLOYABLE; OR 23
[(iii)] C. 3. A 100% service–connected disabled American veteran;. [or 24
(iv) Blind] AND 25
2. ANY RESIDENT OF ANY OTHER STATE WHO CERTIFIES 26
THAT THE PERSON IS: 27
A. A FORMER PRISONER OF WAR; 28
B. AN AMERICAN VETERAN WHO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT 29
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DETERMINES IS UNEMPLOYABLE; OR 30
4 SENATE BILL 588
C. A 100% SERVICE–CONNECTED DISABLED AMERICAN 1
VETERAN. 2
(II) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ISSUE A LIFETIME 3
COMPLIMENTARY RECREATIONAL OYSTER LICENSE UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I)2 OF 4
THIS PARAGRAPH IF TH E OTHER STATE EXTENDS RECIPROCAL P RIVILEGES TO 5
FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR, AMERICAN VETERANS WHO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT 6
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DETERMINES AR E UNEMPLOYABLE , OR 100% 7
SERVICE–CONNECTED DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS. 8
(III) (II) A LIFETIME COMPLIMENTA RY RECREATIONAL 9
OYSTER LICENSE IS NOT TRANSFERRABLE AND SHALL BE ISSUED WITHOUT A FEE. 10
(IV) NOT MORE THAN 20 LIFETIME COMPLIMENTA RY 11
RECREATIONAL OYSTER LICENSES FOR EACH ST ATE OTHER THAN MARYLAND 12
SHALL BE OUTSTANDING AT ANY TIME. 13
(4) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ISSUE AN ANNUAL COMPLIMENT ARY 14
RECREATIONAL OYSTER LICENSE WITHOUT A FE E TO A PERSON THAT I S BLIND, 15
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS OR IS NOT A: 16
(I) BLIND; AND 17
(II) A RESIDENT OF THE STATE. 18
10–301. 19
(l) When the Department h as adequate computer capability, the Department 20
shall compile statistics after the close of the hunting season each year concerning [the]: 21
(1) THE sale of hunting licenses for the previous season, including the 22
names, addresses, counties of residence, and ages of the persons who purchased the hunting 23
licenses and the types of hunting licenses sold; 24
(2) THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL COMPLIMENTARY HUNTING LICENSES 25
ISSUED FOR THE PREVI OUS SEASON, INCLUDING THE NAMES , OCCUPATIONS, AND 26
STATES OF RESIDENCE OF THE PERSONS WHO W ERE ISSUED THE ANNUA L 27
COMPLIMENTARY HUNTING LICENSES; 28
(3) THE NUMBER OF LIFETIME COMPLIMENTARY HUNTING LICENSES 29
ISSUED FOR THE PREVI OUS SEASON AND IN TOTAL , INCLUDING THE NAMES , 30
ELIGIBILITY CATEGORIES, AND STATES OF RESIDENCE OF THE PERSONS WHO WERE 31
ISSUED THE LIFETIME COMPLIMENTARY HUNTING LICENSES; AND 32
SENATE BILL 588 5
(4) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF H UNTING LICENSES THAT ARE NO 1
LONGER ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT THAT REMAIN VALID. 2
10–301.3. 3
(a) There is a commemorative lifetime hunting license. 4
(b) The Department shall issue a limited number of commemorative lifetime 5
hunting licenses to certain nonprofit organizations, consistent with eligibility criteria 6
developed by the Department, until December 31, 2011. 7
(c) [Nonprofit organizations issued hunting licenses under this section may, in 8
cooperation with the Department, market and sell the hunting licenses] EXCEPT FOR THE 9
INITIAL SALE BY A NO NPROFIT ORGANI ZATION, A COMMEMORATIVE LIFE TIME 10
HUNTING LICENSE IS NOT TRANSFERRABLE. 11
(d) [All proceeds from sales of hunting licenses under this section shall be used 12
by the Department to fund conservation law enforcement by the Natural Resources Police 13
Force. 14
(e)] The Department may adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this 15
section. 16
10–303. 17
(a) (1) The Department [annually] may issue ANNUALLY a complimentary 18
hunting license to the President of the United States, the governor of any state, or [an] 19
ANY official or [an] enforcement officer of the game and fish management agency of 20
[another] ANY OTHER state which reciprocally offers complimentary hunting licenses. 21
(2) (i) Subject to the requirements of § 10 –301.1 of this subtitle, the 22
Department may iss ue a lifetime complimentary hunting license to a Maryland resident 23
who certifies that the resident is: 24
1. A former prisoner of war; 25
2. An American veteran who the U.S. Department of 26
Veterans Affairs determines is unemployable; or 27
3. A 100% service connected disabled American veteran. 28
(ii) Subject to the requirements of § 10 –301.1 of this subtitle, the 29
Department may issue a lifetime complimentary hunting license to an out–of–state person: 30
1. Who certifies that the person is: 31
6 SENATE BILL 588
A. A former prisoner of war; 1
B. An American veteran who the U.S. Department of 2
Veterans Affairs determines is unemployable; or 3
C. A 100% service connected disabled American veteran; and 4
2. Whose state of residence extends similar privileges to 5
former prisoners of war, American veterans who the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 6
determines are unemployable, or 100% service connected disabled American veterans of 7
this State. 8
(3) A complimentary HUNTING license is not transferable AND SHALL BE 9
ISSUED WITHOUT A FEE. 10
(b) For the purposes of this section, “former prisoner of war” means a person who, 11
while an active service member, was forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by an 12
enemy government or its agents, or a hostile force, during a period of armed conflict. 13
(C) NOT MORE THAN 20 COMPLIMENTARY HUNTIN G LICENSES ISSUED 14
UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1) OF THIS SECTION FOR EACH STATE OTHER THAN 15
MARYLAND SHALL BE OUTSTANDING AT ANY TIME. 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2026. 18
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.