Resident lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing license; issue at no charge to full-time members of the MS National Guard.

S. B. No. 2430 *SS26/R765* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
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To: Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Tate

SENATE BILL NO. 2430

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-153, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND 2
PARKS TO ISSUE A RESIDENT LIFETIME SPORTSMAN HUNTING AND FISHING 3
LICENSE TO FULL-TIME MEMBERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD AT 4
NO CHARGE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 49-7-153, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
49-7-153. (1) Any resident may purchase a lifetime 9
sportsman hunting and fishing license by filing an application in 10
the office of the department. The license shall qualify the 11
licensee to take all fish, game and fowl, except waterfowl, 12
including deer and turkey, in the manner provided by law. The 13
license shall also permit the licensee to hunt with primitive 14
weapons and bow and arrow, and to fish in the public waters of the 15
state, including the taking of crabs, oysters, shrimp and any 16
saltwater fish authorized to be taken under a recreational 17
license. 18
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(2) The department may issue a resident lifetime sportsman 19
license at a fee to be determined by the commission at an amount 20
not less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for a person 21
thirteen (13) years of age or older and not less than Five Hundred 22
Dollars ($500.00) for a person under thirteen (13) years of age. 23
All lifetime licenses shall be issued from the office of the 24
department. Each application for a lifetime license must be 25
accompanied by a certified copy of the birth certificate of the 26
individual to be named as the license holder, if the individual is 27
twelve (12) years of age or under. 28
(3) The commission shall establish proof of residency 29
requirements for the purchase of a lifetime license, and shall 30
also establish such restrictions on and regulations for lifetime 31
licenses as it deems necessary and proper. Except as otherwise 32
provided in this section, an applicant for a resident lifetime 33
license must have been domiciled in this state for eighteen (18) 34
consecutive months immediately preceding the date of his 35
application for a license. The burden of proving domicile shall 36
be on the applicant. 37
(4) The department may issue a native son or daughter 38
resident lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing license if 39
official documents reflect that one of the applicant's parents was 40
born in the State of Mississippi and was on active military 41
service at the time of the applicant's birth. 42
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Such license may be issued at a fee to be determined by the 43
commission at an amount not less than One Thousand Dollars 44
($1,000.00) for a person thirteen (13) years of age or older and 45
not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for a person under 46
thirteen (13) years of age. 47
The applicant must provide a certified copy of an original 48
birth certificate of such parent showing that the parent was born 49
in Mississippi and provide official documents indicating that such 50
parent was on active military service at the time of the 51
applicant's birth. 52
An applicant for such license shall not be required to 53
have been domiciled in this state for eighteen (18) consecutive 54
months immediately preceding the date of his or her application 55
for a license. 56
(5) The department may issue a native son or daughter 57
nonresident lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing license. The 58
commission shall establish the fee, but the fee shall not be less 59
than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00). The applicant 60
must provide a certified copy of the original birth certificate 61
showing that the applicant was born in Mississippi and/or if the 62
parents' address was in Mississippi at the time of birth as shown 63
on the birth certificate or other documents and/or official 64
documents reflect that one (1) of said parents was on active 65
military service outside the State of Mississippi at the time of 66
said birth. 67
S. B. No. 2430 *SS26/R765* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Resident lifetime sportsman hunting and
fishing license; issue at no charge to full-time
members of the MS National Guard.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, if the birth 68
certificate of each parent reflects that each parent was born in 69
the State of Mississippi, then any child born outside the State of 70
Mississippi of those parents may be issued a nonresident lifetime 71
sportsman license for the above set out fee. 72
(6) The department shall issue a resident lifetime sportsman 73
hunting and fishing license at no charge to any full-time member 74
of the Mississippi National Guard. An applicant for a license 75
under this subsection shall be required to submit a current 76
Mississippi National Guard document evidencing his or her 77
full-time membership. 78
( * * *7) Any materially false statement contained in an 79
application for a lifetime license renders void the license issued 80
pursuant to that application, and subjects the applicant to 81
criminal prosecution under Section 49-7-45. 82
( * * *8) Nothing in this section exempts an applicant for a 83
lifetime license from meeting other qualifications or requirements 84
otherwise established by law for the privilege of hunting or 85
fishing. 86
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 87
and after July 1, 2026. 88