PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 761 PRINTER'S NO. 1808
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 698
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY ROBINSON, BROOKS, LANGERHOLC, BARTOLOTTA, STEFANO,
PENNYCUICK, ROTHMAN, DILLON, BAKER, HUTCHINSON, COSTA,
J. WARD, AUMENT, DUSH, BOSCOLA, FONTANA, MASTRIANO, FARRY AND
GEBHARD, MAY 15, 2023
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, JULY 8, 2024
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, in hunting and furtaking licenses, further
3 providing for license requirements; AND, IN SPECIAL LICENSES <--
4 AND PERMITS, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR REGULATED HUNTING GROUNDS
5 PERMITS.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Section 2701 of Title 34 of the Pennsylvania <--
9 Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subsection to read:
10 SECTION 1. SECTIONS 2701 AND 2928 OF TITLE 34 OF THE <--
11 PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES ARE AMENDED BY ADDING
12 SUBSECTIONS TO READ:
13 § 2701. License requirements.
14 * * *
15 (d) Exemption for members of the armed services and disabled
16 veterans.--
17 (1) The commission shall issue a Military Event License
18 Exemption exempting eligible individuals under paragraph (2)
 1 from the license and permit fee requirements under section
2 2709 (relating to license costs and fees) while participating
3 in an eligible activity for which the commission has issued a
4 Military Event License Exemption Permit under paragraph (3).
5 (2) The following individuals are eligible for a
6 Military Event License Exemption under paragraph (1):
7 (i) A veteran of the armed forces of the United
8 States who has been certified by the United States
9 Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor or by
10 any branch of the United States Armed Forces to have
11 served during war time and has a service-connected
12 disability of 30% or more.
13 (ii) An active duty member, reserve duty member or
14 veteran of any branch of the United States Armed Forces
15 who has received the Purple Heart.
16 (iii) One additional individual per eligible
17 individual under subparagraph (i) or (ii), who shall
18 provide assistance to the eligible individual as
19 necessary during the specified permitted event.
20 (3) The commission may issue a Military Event License
21 Exemption Permit for an event, subject to paragraph (5),
22 whose primary purpose is the rehabilitation or enjoyment of
23 eligible individuals. Each eligible individual must receive a
24 Military Event License Exemption to participate in the event.
25 The event may have a duration of no more than seven
26 consecutive days.
27 (4) All regulations and requirements regarding seasons,
28 bag limits and reporting standards must be adhered to by the
29 participants of an event under paragraph (3).
30 (5) An individual or entity that wishes to host an event
20230SB0698PN1808 - 2 -
 1 for which the commission may issue a Military Event License
2 Exemption Permit under paragraph (3) shall apply for the
3 Military Event License Exemption Permit in a manner provided
4 by the commission no less than 14 days prior to the event.
5 The following apply:
6 (i) The permit applicant shall provide the
7 commission with the documentation required for each
8 eligible individual participating in the event.
9 (ii) The permit application shall include the
10 ability to apply for a Military Event License Exemption
11 for each eligible individual participating in the event
12 for which the applicant is applying for a Military Event
13 License Exemption Permit.
14 (iii) The fee to apply for a Military Event License
15 Exemption Permit shall be the product of multiplying the
16 license cost under section 2709(a)(2)(ii) by the number
17 of eligible individuals participating in the event.
18 (6) Military Event License Exemption Permits may only be
19 used for an event hosted on private land within this
20 Commonwealth with the express approval of the landowner.
21 (7) The commission may issue a Military Event License
22 Exemption Permit for an event with no more than 10 eligible
23 individuals participating.
24 (8) The commission may not issue a Military Event
25 License Exemption Permit for an event that would unduly
26 impact commission resources or impose significant costs to
27 the commission.
28 (9) The commission shall impose upon each Military Event
29 License Exemption Permit reasonable conditions that are
30 necessary to assure that the use or activity authorized under
20230SB0698PN1808 - 3 -
 1 the permit will limit liability to the commission.
2 (10) Violations of the terms of the Military Event
3 License Exemption Permit or violation of any other game law
4 under this title shall result in the revocation of the permit
5 and possible denial of future Military Event License
6 Exemption Permit applications.
7 (11) The commission shall promulgate guidelines for the
8 implementation and issuance of Military Event License
9 Exemptions and Military Event License Exemption Permits under
10 this subchapter.
11 (12) The following words and phrases when used in this
12 subsection shall have the meanings given to them in this
13 paragraph unless context clearly indicates otherwise:
14 "Eligible individual." An individual eligible for a
15 Military Event License Exemption under paragraph (2).
16 "Military Event License Exemption." The Military Event
17 License Exemption issued under paragraph (1).
18 "Military Event License Exemption Permit." The Military
19 Event License Exemption Permit issued under paragraph (3).
20 § 2928. REGULATED HUNTING GROUNDS PERMITS. <--
21 * * *
22 (F.1) EXCEPTION.--NOTWITHSTANDING SUBSECTION (F), A
23 PERMITTEE MAY REMOVE OR HAVE REMOVED FROM ITS PREMISES ANY BIRD
24 THAT IS PERMITTED TO BE KILLED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THIS
25 PERMIT WITHOUT ADHERING TO THE TAGGING REQUIREMENT OF SUBSECTION
26 (F) AS LONG AS THE PERMITTEE ATTACHES TO THE PACKAGE OR
27 CONTAINER THAT CONTAINS THE KILLED BIRDS, A LABEL THAT STATES
28 THE PERMITTEE'S NAME, ADDRESS, PERMIT NUMBER, NUMBER AND TYPES
29 OF KILLED BIRDS AND THE DATE THE BIRDS WERE KILLED. THE LABEL
30 UNDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL REMAIN ON THE PACKAGE OR CONTAINER
20230SB0698PN1808 - 4 -
1 THAT CONTAINS THE KILLED BIRDS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THIS
2 PERMIT AND REMOVED FROM THE PERMITTEE'S PREMISES UNTIL THE BIRDS
3 ARE EITHER RETURNED TO THE PERMITTEE'S ADDRESS IDENTIFIED ON THE
4 LABEL OR THE BIRDS ARE PREPARED FOR CONSUMPTION.
5 * * *
6 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20230SB0698PN1808 - 5 -


Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0761: 34-2701