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SB2664 • 2026

Lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing license; increase threshold for reduced issuance rate from 13 to 18 years of age.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-153, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE FROM 13 TO 18 YEARS OF AGE THE THRESHOLD FOR THE REDUCED ISSUANCE RATE FOR LIFETIME SPORTSMAN HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Whaley, Younger
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not support claims about requiring proof of age via birth certificates and maintaining existing qualification requirements.

Increase Age for Reduced Lifetime Sportsman License Fee

This bill changes the age requirement for a reduced fee on lifetime hunting and fishing licenses from 13 to 18 years old.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that people under 18 years old must pay full price for a lifetime sportsman license, instead of getting it at a lower cost.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to buy a lifetime hunting and fishing license in Mississippi.
  • The state agency responsible for issuing these licenses.

Terms To Know

Lifetime sportsman license
A single payment hunting and fishing permit that lasts forever.
Reduced issuance rate
The lower cost for a lifetime license when someone is younger than 18 years old.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass during the session it was introduced.
  • It would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, if passed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    03/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-02-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/16 (H) Referred To Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks;Appropriations A

  3. 2026-02-13 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/13 (S) Transmitted To House

  4. 2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/12 (S) Passed

  5. 2026-02-02 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/02 (S) Title Suff Do Pass

  6. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Official Summary Text

Lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing license; increase threshold for reduced issuance rate from 13 to 18 years of age.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2664 *SS08/R807* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
26/SS08/R807
PAGE 1 (baf\kr)

To: Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Whaley, Younger

SENATE BILL NO. 2664

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-153, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO INCREASE FROM 13 TO 18 YEARS OF AGE THE THRESHOLD FOR THE 2
REDUCED ISSUANCE RATE FOR LIFETIME SPORTSMAN HUNTING AND FISHING 3
LICENSES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 49-7-153, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
49-7-153. (1) Any resident may purchase a lifetime 8
sportsman hunting and fishing license by filing an application in 9
the office of the department. The license shall qualify the 10
licensee to take all fish, game and fowl, except waterfowl, 11
including deer and turkey, in the manner provided by law. The 12
license shall also permit the licensee to hunt with primitive 13
weapons and bow and arrow, and to fish in the public waters of the 14
state, including the taking of crabs, oysters, shrimp and any 15
saltwater fish authorized to be taken under a recreational 16
license. 17
(2) The department may issue a resident lifetime sportsman 18
license at a fee to be determined by the commission at an amount 19
S. B. No. 2664 *SS08/R807* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R807
PAGE 2 (baf\kr)

not less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for a person * * * 20
eighteen (18) years of age or older and not less than Five Hundred 21
Dollars ($500.00) for a person under * * * eighteen (18) years of 22
age. All lifetime licenses shall be issued from the office of the 23
department. Each application for a lifetime license must be 24
accompanied by a certified copy of the birth certificate of the 25
individual to be named as the license holder, if the individual 26
is * * * seventeen (17) years of age or under. 27
(3) The commission shall establish proof of residency 28
requirements for the purchase of a lifetime license, and shall 29
also establish such restrictions on and regulations for lifetime 30
licenses as it deems necessary and proper. Except as otherwise 31
provided in this section, an applicant for a resident lifetime 32
license must have been domiciled in this state for eighteen (18) 33
consecutive months immediately preceding the date of his 34
application for a license. The burden of proving domicile shall 35
be on the applicant. 36
(4) The department may issue a native son or daughter 37
resident lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing license if 38
official documents reflect that one of the applicant's parents was 39
born in the State of Mississippi and was on active military 40
service at the time of the applicant's birth. 41
Such license may be issued at a fee to be determined by the 42
commission at an amount not less than One Thousand Dollars 43
($1,000.00) for a person * * * eighteen (18) years of age or older 44
S. B. No. 2664 *SS08/R807* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R807
PAGE 3 (baf\kr)

and not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for a person 45
under * * * eighteen (18) years of age. 46
The applicant must provide a certified copy of an original 47
birth certificate of such parent showing that the parent was born 48
in Mississippi and provide official documents indicating that such 49
parent was on active military service at the time of the 50
applicant's birth. 51
An applicant for such license shall not be required to have 52
been domiciled in this state for eighteen (18) consecutive months 53
immediately preceding the date of his or her application for a 54
license. 55
(5) The department may issue a native son or daughter 56
nonresident lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing license. The 57
commission shall establish the fee, but the fee shall not be less 58
than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00). The applicant 59
must provide a certified copy of the original birth certificate 60
showing that the applicant was born in Mississippi and/or if the 61
parents' address was in Mississippi at the time of birth as shown 62
on the birth certificate or other documents and/or official 63
documents reflect that one of said parents was on active military 64
service outside the State of Mississippi at the time of said 65
birth. 66
Except as otherwise provided in this section, if the birth 67
certificate of each parent reflects that each parent was born in 68
the State of Mississippi, then any child born outside the State of 69
S. B. No. 2664 *SS08/R807* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R807
PAGE 4 (baf\kr)
ST: Lifetime sportsman hunting and fishing
license; increase threshold for reduced issuance
rate from 13 to 18 years of age.
Mississippi of those parents may be issued a nonresident lifetime 70
sportsman license for the above set out fee. 71
(6) Any materially false statement contained in an 72
application for a lifetime license renders void the license issued 73
pursuant to that application, and subjects the applicant to 74
criminal prosecution under Section 49-7-45. 75
(7) Nothing in this section exempts an applicant for a 76
lifetime license from meeting other qualifications or requirements 77
otherwise established by law for the privilege of hunting or 78
fishing. 79
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 80
and after July 1, 2026. 81