EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0221*
HOUSE BILL 221
M2 2lr1116
HB 755/21 – ENT CF SB 665
By: Delegate Thiam
Introduced and read first time: January 13, 2022
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Natural Resources – Healing Hunting and Fishing Fund – No–Cost Licenses and 2
Stamps 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing an eligible sponsor organization providing recreational 4
opportunities with grant funding from the Healing Hunting and Fishing Fund to 5
provide at no cost an angler’s license and trout stamps, a Chesapeake Bay and 6
coastal sport fishing license, or a hunting license and any corresponding stamps to 7
certain persons; and generally relating to the Healing Hunting and Fishing Fund. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Natural Resources 10
Section 1–405(a), (b), and (d)(3) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – Natural Resources 15
Section 1–405(d)(1) and (2) and 4–607 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Natural Resources 21 2 HOUSE BILL 221
1–405. 1
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 2
(2) “Eligible sponsor organization” means a nonprofit charitable 3
organization that provides any of the following opportunities for Gold Star recipients, 4
disabled veterans or other veterans who could benefit from one of the opportunities 5
provided, disabled members of the armed forces of the United States or other members of 6
the armed forces of the United States who could benefit from one of the opportunities 7
provided, or permanently disabled persons who require the use of a wheelchair: 8
(i) Recreational hunting or fishing, INCLUDING PROVIDING AT NO 9
COST: 10
1. AN ANGLER’S LICENSE AND TROUT STAMPS; 11
2. A CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL SPORT FISHING 12
LICENSE; OR 13
3. A HUNTING LICENSE AND ANY CORRESPONDING 14
STAMPS; 15
(ii) Recreational water activities; 16
(iii) Other recreational outdoor activities; 17
(iv) Therapeutic outdoor activities; or 18
(v) Workforce training for green jobs, including outdoor agricultural 19
jobs. 20
(3) “Gold Star recipient” means a recipient of the U.S. Department of 21
Defense Gold Star for surviving spouses, parents, and next of kin of members of the armed 22
forces of the United States who lost their lives in combat. 23
(b) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the Chesapeake 24
Bay Trust may use the Healing Hunting and Fishing Fund established under subsection 25
(d) of this section to make grants to eligible sponsor organizations. 26
(ii) In awarding a grant to an eligible sponsor organization that 27
provides opportunities that the eligible sponsor organization believes benefit veterans or 28
members of the armed forces of the United States, the Chesapeake Bay Trust shall 29
determine whether the opportunities provided by the eligible sponsor organization will, in 30
fact, benefit veterans or members of the armed forces of the United States. 31
HOUSE BILL 221 3
(2) A grant awarded under this subsection may be used only to pay capital, 1
operational, or programming costs incurred by an eligible sponsor organization in providing 2
any of the following opportunities: 3
(i) Recreational hunting or fishing, INCLUDING PROVIDING AT NO 4
COST: 5
1. AN ANGLER’S LICENSE AND TROUT STAMPS; 6
2. A CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL SPORT FISHING 7
LICENSE; OR 8
3. A HUNTING LICENSE AND ANY CORRESPONDING 9
STAMPS; 10
(ii) Recreational water activities; 11
(iii) Other recreational outdoor activities; 12
(iv) Therapeutic outdoor activities; or 13
(v) Workforce training for green jobs, including outdoor agricultural 14
jobs. 15
(d) (1) In this subsection, “Fund” means the Healing Hunting and Fishing 16
Fund. 17
(2) There is a Healing Hunting and Fishing Fund. 18
(3) The purpose of the Fund is to provide any of the following opportunities 19
for Gold Star recipients, disabled veterans or other veterans who could benefit from one of 20
the opportunities, disabled members of the armed forces of the United States or other 21
members of the armed forces of the United States who could benefit from one of the 22
opportunities, and permanently disabled persons who require the use of a wheelchair: 23
(i) Recreational hunting or fishing, INCLUDING P ROVIDING AT NO 24
COST: 25
1. AN ANGLER’S LICENSE AND TROUT STAMPS; 26
2. A CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL SPORT FISHING 27
LICENSE; OR 28
3. A HUNTING LICENSE AND ANY CORRESPONDING 29
STAMPS; 30
4 HOUSE BILL 221
(ii) Recreational water activities; 1
(iii) Other recreational outdoor activities; 2
(iv) Therapeutic outdoor activities; or 3
(v) Workforce training for green jobs, including outdoor agricultural 4
jobs. 5
4–607. 6
(a) (1) The Department may issue annually a complimentary angler’s license 7
to the President of the United States, the governor of any state, and any official of the game 8
and fish department of any other state. 9
(2) The Department may issue a lifetime complimentary angler’s license to 10
any Maryland resident who certifies that the resident is a former prisoner of war or 100% 11
service connected disabled American veteran. 12
(3) The Department may issue a lifetime complimentary angler’s license to 13
an out–of–state person who certifies that the person is a former prisoner of war or a 100% 14
service connected disabled American veteran if the person’s state of residence extends 15
similar privileges to former prisoners of war or 100% service connected disabled American 16
veterans of this State. 17
(b) Not more than 20 complimentary angler’s licenses for each state other than 18
Maryland shall be outstanding at any time. 19
(c) A complimentary angler’s license is not transferable and shall be issued 20
without a fee. 21
(d) For the purposes of this section, “former prisoner of war” means a person who, 22
while serving in the active military, naval, or air service of the United States, was forcibly 23
detained or interned in the line of duty by an enemy government or its agents, or a hostile 24
force, during a period of armed conflict. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act sh all take effect July 26
1, 2022. 27