An Act amending Titles 30 (Fish) and 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in fishing licenses, providing for active duty military fishing reciprocity and for disabled veteran annual fishing license reciprocity; and, in hunting and furtaking licenses, providing for active duty military hunting reciprocity and for disabled veteran annual hunting license reciprocity.

PRINTER'S NO. 1049
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 968
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PIELLI, SANCHEZ, PROBST, KHAN, PICKETT, GIRAL,
BRENNAN, GUENST, NEILSON, HILL-EVANS, DELLOSO, KUZMA,
HADDOCK, CIRESI, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, DONAHUE, FREEMAN, GREEN,
KRUPA, STEELE, KAZEEM AND KOZAK, MARCH 19, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, MARCH 19, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Titles 30 (Fish) and 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in fishing licenses, providing for
active duty military fishing reciprocity and for disabled
veteran annual fishing license reciprocity; and, in hunting
and furtaking licenses, providing for active duty military
hunting reciprocity and for disabled veteran annual hunting
license reciprocity.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 30 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding sections to read:
§ 2702.2. Active duty military fishing reciprocity.
(a) Permission.--Notwithstanding section 2709(f) (relating
to exemptions from license requirements), any person who
possesses a valid and lawfully issued active duty military
fishing license or permit which has been issued under the laws
of another state, regardless of whether a reciprocity agreement
exists between the Commonwealth and the state under subsection
(b), may fish in any of the waters of this Commonwealth or in
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
any boundary waters if all of the following apply:
(1) The state provides a reciprocal privilege for a
nonresident individual who is on active military duty in the
armed forces of the United States.
(2) The Attorney General has determined that the fishing
laws of the state are similar to the fishing laws of this
Commonwealth.
(b) Reciprocity.--
(1) The Attorney General shall have the power and duty
to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states
providing for the mutual recognition of active duty military
fishing within this Commonwealth and the similar allowance of
fishing allowed by the other state. To carry out this duty,
the Attorney General is authorized to negotiate reciprocity
agreements and grant recognition of an active duty military
fishing allowance or license issued by another state.
(2) The Attorney General shall report to the General
Assembly within 180 days of the effective date of this
paragraph and annually thereafter concerning the agreements
which have been consummated under this subsection.
§ 2702.3. Disabled veteran annual fishing license reciprocity.
(a) Permission.--Notwithstanding section 2709(f) (relating
to exemptions from license requirements), any person who
possesses a valid and lawfully issued disabled veteran annual
fishing license or permit which has been issued under the laws
of another state, regardless of whether a reciprocity agreement
exists between the Commonwealth and the state under subsection
(b), may fish in any of the waters of this Commonwealth or in
any boundary waters if all of the following apply:
(1) The state provides a reciprocal privilege for
20250HB0968PN1049 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
individuals possessing a disabled veteran annual fishing
license issued under section 2707(a) (relating to disabled
veterans and former prisoners of war).
(2) The Attorney General has determined that the fishing
laws of the state are similar to the fishing laws of this
Commonwealth.
(b) Reciprocity.--
(1) The Attorney General shall have the power and duty
to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states
providing for the mutual recognition of disabled veteran
annual fishing licenses issued by the Commonwealth and a
similar license or permit issued by the other state. To carry
out this duty, the Attorney General is authorized to
negotiate reciprocity agreements and grant recognition of a
disabled veteran annual fishing license or permit issued by
another state.
(2) The Attorney General shall report to the General
Assembly within 180 days of the effective date of this
paragraph and annually thereafter concerning the agreements
which have been consummated under this subsection.
Section 2. Title 34 is amended by adding sections to read:
§ 2703.1. Active duty military hunting reciprocity.
(a) Permission.--Notwithstanding section 2706(b) and (e)
(relating to resident license and fee exemptions), any person
who possesses a valid and lawfully issued active duty military
hunting license or permit which has been issued under the laws
of another state, regardless of whether a reciprocity agreement
exists between the Commonwealth and the state under subsection
(b), may hunt within this Commonwealth if all of the following
apply:
20250HB0968PN1049 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(1) The state provides a reciprocal privilege for a
nonresident individual who is on active military duty in the
armed forces of the United States.
(2) The Attorney General has determined that the hunting
laws of the state are similar to the hunting laws of this
Commonwealth.
(b) Reciprocity.--
(1) The Attorney General shall have the power and duty
to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states
providing for the mutual recognition of active duty military
hunting within this Commonwealth and the similar allowance of
hunting allowed by the other state. To carry out this duty,
the Attorney General is authorized to negotiate reciprocity
agreements and grant recognition of an active duty military
hunting allowance or license issued by another state.
(2) The Attorney General shall report to the General
Assembly within 180 days of the effective date of this
section and annually thereafter concerning the agreements
which have been consummated under this subsection.
§ 2703.2. Disabled veteran annual hunting license reciprocity.
(a) Permission.--Notwithstanding section 2706(b) and (e)
(relating to resident license and fee exemptions), any person
who possesses a valid and lawfully issued disabled veteran
annual hunting license or permit which has been issued under the
laws of another state, regardless of whether a reciprocity
agreement exists between the Commonwealth and the state under
subsection (b), may hunt in this Commonwealth if all of the
following apply:
(1) The state provides a reciprocal privilege for
individuals possessing a disabled veteran annual hunting
20250HB0968PN1049 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
license issued under section 2706(b).
(2) The Attorney General has determined that the hunting
laws of the state are similar to the hunting laws of this
Commonwealth.
(b) Reciprocity.--
(1) The Attorney General shall have the power and duty
to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states
providing for the mutual recognition of disabled veteran
annual hunting licenses issued by the Commonwealth and a
similar license or permit issued by the other state. To carry
out this duty, the Attorney General is authorized to
negotiate reciprocity agreements and grant recognition of a
disabled veteran annual hunting license or permit issued by
another state.
(2) The Attorney General shall report to the General
Assembly within 180 days of the effective date of this
paragraph and annually thereafter concerning the agreements
which have been consummated under this subsection.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20250HB0968PN1049 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19