AN ACT RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- LICENSING (Allows any member of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Rhode Island to receive recreational freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses free of charge.)

S3079

2026 -- S 3079
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LC004960
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- LICENSING

Introduced By:
Senators Britto, McKenney, Burke, Urso, and Bissaillon

Date Introduced:
March 13, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Environment & Agriculture
(Dept. of Environmental Management)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 20-2-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-2 entitled "Licensing" is
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hereby amended to read as follows:
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20-2-31. Hunting and fishing licenses — Exceptions.
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(a) Every valid license to hunt or fish in this state that is held by any resident of this state
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upon joining the armed forces or the merchant marine of the United States is hereby extended and
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is in force and valid until six (6) months following the termination of his or her service.
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(b) Every member of the armed forces or of the merchant marine of the United States may
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hunt or fish in this state if that person procures a hunting or fishing license issued by the state of
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Rhode Island, the fee for which is that charged for a resident civilian.
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(c) Every man or woman who was a part of the armed forces of the United States
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government and is now a one hundred percent (100%) disabled veteran, and any man or woman
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who is one hundred percent (100%) permanently disabled, is entitled, subject to the provisions of
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this title, to receive a license to hunt or fish or both in this state; and upon the presentation of his or
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her necessary military discharge identification or disability papers or both, as prescribed by the
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department of environmental management, shall, at the discretion of the licensing authority,
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receive, without the payment of any license fee, a continuing special form of license authorizing
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the man or woman to hunt or fish or both in this state in accordance with the provisions of this title
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and regulations issued pursuant to this title for so long as he or she so desires; provided, however,
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that the man or woman, having once made application for this license, shall not again be required

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to appear before the licensing authority to present his or her papers.
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(d) A freshwater fishing license is not required of any blind person. For the purposes of
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this section, a person is blind only if his or her central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the
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better eye with correcting lenses or if his or her visual acuity is greater than 20/200 but is
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accompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field
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subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees (20°).
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(e) Every resident man or woman over the age of sixty-five (65) years is entitled, subject
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to the provisions of this title and the regulations issued pursuant to this title, to receive a special
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permanent license to hunt or fish or both in this state for which there is no fee.
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(f) Any man or woman who is one hundred percent (100%) permanently disabled may
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apply to receive a license to fish in this state, and upon presentation of a proof of his or her disability
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as prescribed by the department of environmental management, receive, without the payment of
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any license fee, a continuing special form of license authorizing the man or woman to fish in this
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state for so long as he or she so desires; provided, however, that the man or woman, having once
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made application for this license, shall not again be required to appear before the licensing authority
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to present his or her papers.
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(g) The director may, by regulation, designate no more than two (2) days in each year,
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which may or may not be consecutive, during which residents and nonresidents may, without
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having a license and without payment of any fee, exercise the privileges of a holder of a freshwater
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fishing license. These persons are subject to all other limitations, restrictions, conditions, laws,
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rules, and regulations applicable to the holder of a freshwater fishing license.
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(h) For the purpose of this section, “man or woman who is one hundred percent (100%)
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permanently disabled” means an individual who has a physical or mental impairment and is
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receiving:
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(1) Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI);
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(2) Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI).
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All licenses that are issued to persons who qualify pursuant to this subsection shall be
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issued without the requirement of the payment of a fee and shall expire annually on February 28 of
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each year. Persons seeking the issuance or reissuance of licenses shall be required to present
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documentation establishing that the applicant is qualified, or remains qualified, pursuant to this
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subsection.
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(i) Every member of a federally recognized Indian tribe that is located in Rhode Island is
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entitled, subject to the provisions of this title and regulations issued pursuant to this title, to receive
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a freshwater fishing license for which there is no fee.

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SECTION 2. Section 20-2.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-2.1 entitled "Commercial
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Fishing Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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20-2.1-8. Dealers’ licenses and fees.
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(a) No person, partnership, firm, association, or corporation shall barter or trade in marine
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species taken by persons licensed under this chapter unless a license so to do has been obtained
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from the director of environmental management.
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(b) Any licensee operating under the provisions of this section shall purchase marine
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species from licensed persons only and shall purchase or possess only those
lobsters

marine species

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legally taken or possessed.
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(c) The director shall issue and enforce rules and regulations and orders governing bartering
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and trading in marine species by licensed persons of marine species and licensed dealers, and other
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persons, partnerships, firms, associations, or corporations.
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(d)
License types and fees.
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(1)
Multipurpose dealer’s license
This license shall allow the dealer to purchase or sell
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all marine products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in
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which it is issued. The fee shall be four hundred and fifty dollars ($450).
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(2)
Finfish dealer’s license.
This license shall allow the dealer to purchase or sell all finfish
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products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in which it is
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issued. The fee shall be three hundred dollars ($300).
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(3)
Shellfish dealer’s license.
This license shall allow the dealer to purchase or sell all
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shellfish products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in
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which it is issued. The fee shall be three hundred dollars ($300).
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(4)
Crustacean dealer license.
This license shall allow the dealer to purchase all
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crustacean products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in
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which it is issued. The fee shall be three hundred dollars ($300).
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(e)
Seafood dealers license — Suspension or revocation.
The director may suspend,
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revoke, or deny the license of a seafood dealer or fisher of marine species for the violation of any
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provision of this title or the rules, regulations, or orders adopted or issued pursuant to this title.
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(f) Any person aggrieved by the decisions of the director may appeal the decision pursuant
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to the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42.
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(g) The director is authorized to enter and inspect the business premises, appurtenant
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structures, vehicles, or vessels of any seafood dealer and to inspect the records maintained by a
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seafood dealer for the purpose of determining compliance with the provisions of this section and
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any rules, regulations, or orders issued under this section, and no person shall interfere with,

LC004960 - Page 3 of 5
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obstruct the entrance, or inspection of the director or the director’s agents of those business
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premises, appurtenant structures, vehicles, or vessels.
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(h) Any violation of the provisions of this section or any rule, regulation, or order adopted
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under this section shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in § 20-1-16.
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SECTION 3. Section 20-2.2-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-2.2 entitled
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"Recreational Saltwater Fishing License" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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20-2.2-6. Fees — Terms and conditions — Information required.
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(a)(1) Resident, seven dollars ($7.00);
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(2) No fee shall be charged for residents who are over the age of sixty-five (65)
, or are
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members of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Rhode Island
or in active military service;
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(3) Nonresident, ten dollars ($10.00);
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(4) Licenses issued pursuant to this subsection shall expire on December 31st of each year.
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(b)(1) Resident or nonresident seven-day (7), five dollars ($5.00);
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(2) This license shall entitle the holder to fish recreationally for seven (7) consecutive days,
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including the day of issuance.
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(c) All license applications shall be required to provide their name, address, phone number,
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and date of birth.
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(d) Any lost or destroyed license shall be replaceable, during the calendar year in which it
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was issued, or in the case of a seven-day (7) license, during the seven-day (7) period when it is
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valid, at no cost to the license holder.
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(e) The director is authorized to determine a portion of the license fee, not to exceed any
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of the amounts set forth above in this section, that may be retained by the state-approved vendor
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and authorized licensing agents, as set forth in § 20-2.2-7, as commission for services rendered.
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SECTION 4. Sections 1 and 3 of this act shall take effect on March 1, 2027. Section 2 of
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this act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- LICENSING
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This act would allow any member of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Rhode
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Island to receive recreational freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses free of charge. It would also
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make a technical correction to a separate section of law dealing with commercial fishing dealers'
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licenses.
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Sections 1 and 3 of this act would take effect on March 1, 2027. Section 2 of this act would
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take effect upon passage.
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