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A4044
ASSEMBLY, No. 4044
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 12, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
���� Exempts individuals under 18 years of age from
resident and nonresident fishing license fees.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning fishing licenses for minors and amending
R.S.23:3-4.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� R.S.23:3-4 is amended to
read as follows:
���� 23:3-4.� The licenses issued
under this article shall include, among others authorized by law, the
following:
���� a.���� A license issued to a
person above 16 years of age, or in the case of an apprentice firearm hunting
license or an apprentice bow and arrow license, a license issued to a person
above 14 years of age, who has an actual and bona fide domicile in this State
at the time of the application for the license and who has had an actual and
bona fide domicile in this State for at least six months immediately prior
thereto, provided that for a resident's trapping license the person shall be
above 12 years of age.� These licenses shall be designated as the resident's
firearm hunting license, the resident's bow and arrow license, the resident's
trapping license, the resident's fishing license, the resident's apprentice
firearm hunting license, and the resident's apprentice bow and arrow license.
���� (1) (a) The resident's firearm
hunting license shall authorize its holder to hunt with hounds and firearms
only, and a fee of $26.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged
therefor, except that a person above the age of 65 years shall be charged a fee
of $14.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.
���� (b)�� The resident's
apprentice firearm hunting license shall authorize its holder to hunt only with
hounds and firearms and only when accompanied by a holder, above 21 years of
age, of a regular resident's or nonresident's firearm hunting license.� A fee
of $26.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged for a resident's
apprentice firearm hunting license, except that a person above the age of 65
years shall be charged a fee of $14.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.� The
resident's apprentice firearm hunting license may be issued to a person only
twice during the lifetime of the person.
���� (2) (a) The resident's bow and
arrow license shall authorize its holder to hunt with bow and arrow only, and a
fee of $30.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor, except
that a person above the age of 65 years shall be charged a fee of $15.50 and an
issuance fee of $1.00.
���� (b)�� The resident's
apprentice bow and arrow license shall authorize its holder to hunt only with
bow and arrow and only when accompanied by a holder, above 21 years of age, of
a regular resident's or nonresident's bow and arrow license.� A fee of $30.50
and an issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged for a resident's apprentice bow
and arrow license, except that a person above the age of 65 years shall be
charged a fee of $15.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.� The resident's
apprentice bow and arrow license may be issued to a person only twice during
the lifetime of the person.
���� (3)�� The resident's trapping
license shall authorize its holder to trap only, and a fee of $31.50 and an
issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor, except that a person above 12
years and under 16 years of age shall be charged no fee.
���� (4)�� The resident's fishing
license shall authorize its holder to fish only, and a fee of $21.50 and an
issuance fee of $1.00 shall be charged therefor, except (a) in any case where
the applicant is above 70 years of age and is otherwise qualified, no license
shall be required, (b) a person above 65 years and under 70 years of age shall
be charged a fee of $11.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00,
[
and
]
(c) as
otherwise provided in paragraph (5) of this subsection, paragraph (2) of
subsection c. of this section, or paragraph (2) of subsection d. of section 11
of P.L.1982, c.180 (C.23:3-1.1)
, and (d) in any case where the applicant is
under 18 years of age and is otherwise qualified, a license shall be issued
without a fee
.
���� (5)�� The resident's fishing
buddy license shall authorize its holder to fish only, and can only be obtained
through application at the same time with:� (a) another resident of this State
who applies for a resident's fishing license, is above 16 years of age and
below 65 years of age, and has not bought a resident's fishing license in the
previous five license years, or (b) a nonresident who applies for a
nonresident's annual fishing license, is above 16 years of age, and has not
bought a nonresident's annual fishing license in the previous five license
years.� The fee for a resident's fishing buddy license and for a resident's
fishing license issued pursuant to this paragraph shall each be $10.75 and an
issuance fee of $1.00.� The fee for a nonresident's annual fishing license
issued pursuant to this paragraph shall be $16.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.
���� (6)�� Any resident of this
State who is totally blind, upon application to the division, shall be entitled
to a resident's fishing license without fee or charge.
���� b.��� A license issued to a
person above 16 years of age, or in the case of an apprentice firearm hunting
license or an apprentice bow and arrow license, a license issued to a person
above 14 years of age, not entitled to a resident's license, authorizing the person
to trap or to hunt, as applicable, except that a nonresident's two-day small
game firearm hunting license shall not permit the taking, hunting, or killing
of deer or turkey.� These licenses shall be designated as the nonresident's
firearm hunting license, the nonresident's apprentice firearm hunting license,
the nonresident's bow and arrow license, the nonresident's apprentice bow and
arrow license, the nonresident's trapping license, and the nonresident's
two-day small game firearm hunting license.
���� A nonresident's apprentice
firearm hunting license shall authorize its holder to hunt only with hounds and
firearms and only when accompanied by a holder, above 21 years of age, of a
regular resident's or nonresident's firearm hunting license.� A nonresident's
apprentice bow and arrow license shall authorize its holder to hunt with bow
and arrow only and only when accompanied by a holder, above 21 years of age, of
a regular resident's or nonresident's bow and arrow license.� The nonresident's
apprentice firearm hunting license and the nonresident's apprentice bow and
arrow license may each be issued to a person only twice during the lifetime of
the person.
���� (1)�� The fees for the
nonresident's firearm hunting license, the nonresident's apprentice firearm
hunting license, the nonresident's bow and arrow license, and the nonresident's
apprentice bow and arrow license shall each be $134.50 and an issuance fee of
$1.00.
���� (2)�� The fee for the
nonresident's trapping license shall be $199.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.
���� (3)�� The fee for a
nonresident's two-day small game firearm hunting license shall be $35.50 and an
issuance fee of $1.00.
���� c.���� A license issued to a
person above 16 years of age not entitled to a resident's license, authorizing
the person to fish only. These licenses shall be designated as the
nonresident's annual fishing license, the nonresident's annual fishing buddy
license, the nonresident's two-day fishing license, valid for a period of two
consecutive days, and the nonresident's seven-day vacation fishing license,
valid for a period of seven consecutive days.
���� The nonresident's annual
fishing buddy license can only be obtained through application at the same time
with:� a resident of this State who applies for a resident's fishing license,
is above 16 years of age and below 65 years of age, and has not bought a
resident's fishing license in the previous five license years; or a nonresident
who applies for a nonresident's annual fishing license, is above 16 years of
age, and has not bought a nonresident's annual fishing license in the previous
five license years.
���� (1)�� The fee for the
nonresident's annual fishing license shall be $33.00 and an issuance fee of
$1.00, except as otherwise provided pursuant to paragraph (2) of this
subsection, paragraph (5) of subsection a. of this section, or paragraph (2) of
subsection d. of section 11 of P.L.1982, c.180 (C.23:3-1.1)
, except in any
case where the applicant is under 18 years of age and is otherwise qualified, a
license shall be issued without a fee.
���� (2)�� The fee for a
nonresident's annual fishing buddy license shall be $16.50 and an issuance fee
of $1.00.� The fee for a resident's fishing license obtained through
application at the same time with an application for a nonresident's annual
fishing buddy license in accordance with this subsection shall be $10.75 and an
issuance fee of $1.00, and the fee for a nonresident's annual fishing license
obtained through application at the same time with an application for a
nonresident's annual fishing buddy license in accordance with this subsection
shall be $16.50 and an issuance fee of $1.00.
���� (3)�� The fee for the
nonresident's two-day fishing license shall be $8.00 and an issuance fee of
$1.00.
���� (4)�� The fee for the
nonresident's seven-day fishing license shall be $18.50 and an issuance fee of
$1.00.
���� d.��� Every license issued
hereunder shall be void after December 31 next succeeding its issuance, except
the one-day hunting license, which shall expire on the date of issuance; the
nonresident's seven-day fishing license, which is valid only for seven consecutive
days after date of issuance; the nonresident's two-day fishing license, which
shall expire on the day after the date of issuance; and the nonresident's
two-day small game firearm hunting license, which shall expire on the day after
the date of issuance.
���� Any license issued hereunder
to a person under 16 years of age shall be void after December 31 of the year
in which the licensee becomes 16 years of age.
���� e.���� The fees for licenses
set forth in this section may be adjusted by the Fish and Game Council pursuant
to section 12 of P.L.1982, c.180 (C.23:3-1a).
(cf: P.L.2023, c.321, s.2)
���� 2.� This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill exempts individuals
under 18 years of age from the fees associated with obtaining either a resident
or nonresident fishing license in the State.� The intent of the bill is to
remove financial barriers that may prevent youth from participating in outdoor
recreational activities. �By waiving the fishing license fee for minors while
maintaining the license requirement, this bill promotes greater access to the
State�s abundant natural resources and encourages young people to engage in
healthy, outdoor pastimes that foster appreciation for wildlife, the
environment, and State natural resources.