The bill S.107, introduced by Senator Brennan, aims to ensure that the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is financially compensated for revenue lost due to the issuance of free hunting, fishing, trapping, combination, or lifetime licenses authorized by the General Assembly on or after July 1, 2025. The proposed legal language mandates that when such free licenses are issued, the Department will be reimbursed for the fee revenue that would have been collected had the full fees been paid.

Additionally, the bill requires the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife to maintain an accounting of the lost revenue from these free licenses and submit this information annually to the Department of Finance and Management. Following this submission, the Commissioner of Finance and Management is obligated to transfer the lost revenue amount from the General Fund to the Fish and Wildlife Fund within 60 days. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 10-4255