SESSION OF 2025
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2028
As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole
Brief*
HB 2028, as amended, would amend law concerning the
resident senior combination hunting and fishing pass and the
Kansas kids combination lifetime hunting and fishing license
(license). The bill would also prohibit non-residents from
hunting migratory waterfowl during certain times and in
certain places and change the fees for migratory waterfowl
habitat stamps.
The bill would be in effect upon publication in the
Kansas Register.
Combination Hunting and Fishing Passes and Licenses
Resident Senior Combination Hunting and Fishing Pass
The bill would revive law authorizing the Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) to offer a resident
senior combination hunting and fishing pass and remove the
sunset date. These provisions allowed any Kansan age 65 or
older to purchase a discounted lifetime hunting and fishing
permit. The provisions expired on June 30, 2020, and the bill
would state the provisions would be effective as of January 1,
2025.
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*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
https://klrd.gov/ Kansas Kids Combination Lifetime Hunting and Fishing
License
Under current law, licenses may be issued by the
Secretary of Wildlife and Parks to Kansas residents who are
seven years of age or younger. For a child five years of age
or younger, the license fee is $300, and for a child six or
seven years of age, the license fee is $500.
The bill would remove these age ranges and the
accompanying fees. The bill would increase the age limit for a
child to receive a license from 7 years of age to 15 years of
age and set the fee for all children 15 years of age or younger
to $400.
The bill would also remove the sunset for the license
provisions that are currently set to expire on July 1, 2032.
Migratory Waterfowl Hunting and Habitat Stamps
Non-resident Hunting Prohibition
The bill would prohibit non-residents from hunting
migratory waterfowl during the hunting season except on
Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays.
The bill would define “non-resident” as any person who
has not been a bona fide resident of Kansas for the
immediately preceding 60 days. “Non-resident” would not
include a non-resident lifetime license holder or a non-
resident entitled to resident licenses, permits, stamps, and
other issues as authorized in law.
This prohibition would apply to:
●“Department lands and waters,” which would be
defined by the bill as lands, water, and facilities that
are under the jurisdiction and control of the
2- 2028 Secretary of Wildlife and Parks through ownership,
lease, license, cooperative agreement,
memorandum of understanding, or other
arrangement, including, but not limited to, state
parks, state lakes, recreational grounds, wildlife
areas, sanctuaries, fish hatcheries, natural areas,
and historic sites; and
●Federal lands and waters owned by the United
States and administered by:
○The Secretary of the Army, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, at the Bill Hill, Clinton, Council
Grove, El Dorado, Elk City, Fall River,
Hillsdale, John Redmond, Kanopolis, Marion,
Melvern, Milford, Perry, Pomona, Toronto,
Tuttle Creek, and Wilson reservoirs and
Missouri River fish and wildlife mitigation
lands, including, but not limited to,
Benedictine Bottoms, Burr Oak, Dalbey,
Elwood, and Oak Mills;
○The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Reclamation, at Cedar Bluff, Cheney, Glen
Elder, Lovewell, Norton, and Webster
reservoirs; and
○The U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, at Flint Hills National
Wildlife Refuge, Quivira National Refuge,
Marais Des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge,
and Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge.
The non-resident hunting prohibition would not apply to:
●Property enrolled and designated as walk-in
hunting access areas or interactive walk-in hunting
access areas;
●Navigable rivers in Kansas; or
3- 2028 ●The conservation order for light geese season, as
provided in federal law.
Fees for Migratory Waterfowl Habitat Stamps
The bill would change the fees for a migratory waterfowl
habitat stamp (stamp). The current fee for a stamp is a
maximum of $8 for any hunter. The bill would create separate
fees for resident and non-resident hunters:
●The resident fee would be a maximum of $20; and
●The non-resident fee would be a maximum of
$100.
Background
The Senate Committee of the Whole inserted the
contents of SB 213 into HB 2028 while retaining and
amending the contents of HB 2028. Background information
for each bill may be found below.
HB 2028 (Combination Hunting and Fishing Passes and
Licenses)
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Federal and State Affairs at the request of Representative
Corbet.
House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
In the House Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by Representatives Corbet and W. Carpenter.
The conferees stated their intent to restore the language that
had sunset in 2020, which would allow more participation in
hunting and fishing by senior citizens. They further stated that
removing the sunset on the youth combination license would
allow for greater participation by youth in the future.
4- 2028 Written-only neutral testimony was provided by the
Acting Secretary of Wildlife and Parks and by a
representative of the Kansas Chapter of Backcountry Hunters
& Anglers. The neutral testimony stated the KDWP has
remedied the unavailability of additional senior combination
licenses by offering additional numbers of discounted senior
annual licenses. Additionally, neutral testimony stated
concern with future availability of federal funds under the
Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 (also known as
the Pittman-Robertson Act) that could be jeopardized if
hunting and fishing licenses do not meet federal
requirements.
No other testimony was provided.
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
In the Senate Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was presented by Representative Corbet emphasizing his
previous testimony and the effects of the bill.
Written-only neutral testimony was provided by the
Acting Secretary of Wildlife and Parks.
No other testimony was provided.
The Senate Committee amended the bill to:
●Remove previous age ranges and fees for which a
Kansas kids lifetime combination hunting and
fishing license may be issued and establish the
maximum age of 15 years and a universal fee of
$500; and
●Change the effective date of the provisions of the
bill concerning the resident senior combination
hunting and fishing pass from July 1, 2020, to
January 1, 2025.
5- 2028 Senate Committee of the Whole
The Senate Committee of the Whole amended the bill to
reduce the Kansas kids lifetime combination hunting and
fishing license fee from $500 to $400 and added the
provisions of SB 213, as amended by the Senate Committee
on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
SB 213 (Migratory Waterfowl Hunting and Habitat
Stamps)
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Federal and State Affairs at the request of Senator Blew on
behalf of Representative W. Carpenter.
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
In the Senate Committee hearing on February 12, 2025,
proponent testimony was provided by Representative W.
Carpenter, Senator Billinger, and a private citizen. The
proponents expressed concerns regarding the overcrowding
of Kansas wetlands by non-resident waterfowl hunters and
lack of access to public hunting grounds for Kansas resident
hunters.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by five
private citizens.
Neutral testimony was provided by the Deputy Secretary
of KDWP, who stated non-resident waterfowl pressure on
limited public lands has increased significantly. In 2006, non-
residents accounted for 19 percent of all waterfowl hunters in
Kansas. For the 2020-2021 season, non-resident waterfowl
hunters increased to 40 percent of all waterfowl hunters; that
season was the first time non-resident hunters outnumbered
resident hunters at Cheyenne Bottoms. The Deputy Secretary
also stated the Wildlife and Parks Commission has discussed
and solicited public input on the limitations placed on non-
resident hunters.
6- 2028 Written-only neutral testimony was provided by a
representative of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
No other testimony was provided.
[Note: A companion bill, HB 2268, was introduced in the
House. The House Committee on Agriculture and Natural
Resources held a hearing on the bill on March 17, 2025;
however, the House Committee did not take any action.]
Fiscal Information
A revised fiscal note on the amended bill was not
immediately available.
HB 2028 (Combination Hunting and Fishing Passes and
Licenses)
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, KDWP states
enactment of the bill would decrease fee fund revenues
because seniors currently pay a higher price for their hunting
and fishing licenses due to the lapse of the lifetime
combination license provisions. Reintroduction of this license
would reduce revenues by an unknown amount.
Additionally, the sale of licenses is used to calculate the
amount of federal funds the agency receives; however,
KDWP cannot estimate the potential increase or decrease in
federal funds, if any. KDWP also states that removal of the
sunset date for the Kansas kids lifetime combination hunting
and fishing license would not have a fiscal effect.
7- 2028 SB 213 (Migratory Waterfowl Hunting and Habitat
Stamps)
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, KDWP states that
enactment of the bill would increase revenues into its fee
funds because the agency no longer sells mussel fishing
licenses, and the bill would increase cost of the migratory
waterfowl stamps. However, the agency cannot estimate a
fiscal effect as it would need to promulgate the regulation that
sets the fee amount of the stamps because the bill allows up
to a maximum amount.
Any fiscal effect associated with either bill is not
reflected in The FY 2026 Governor’s Budget Report.
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; hunting; fishing; licenses; seniors; youth;
migratory waterfowl; fees
8- 2028