EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0665*
SENATE BILL 665
M2 2lr1354
CF HB 221
By: Senators Corderman, Bailey, Carozza, Edwards, Elfreth, Guzzone, Hershey,
Hester, Lee, Ready, Salling, and West
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
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
1–405. 22
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 23
2 SENATE BILL 665
(2) “Eligible sponsor organization” means a nonprofit charitable 1
organization that provides any of the following opportunities for Gold Star recipients, 2
disabled veterans or other veterans who could benefit from one of the opportunities 3
provided, disabled members of the armed forces of the United States or other members of 4
the armed forces of the United States who could benefit from one of the opportunities 5
provided, or permanently disabled persons who require the use of a wheelchair: 6
(i) Recreational hunting or fishing, INCLUDING PRO VIDING AT NO 7
COST: 8
1. AN ANGLER’S LICENSE AND TROUT STAMPS; 9
2. A CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL SPORT FISHING 10
LICENSE; OR 11
3. A HUNTING LICENSE AND ANY CORRESPONDING 12
STAMPS; 13
(ii) Recreational water activities; 14
(iii) Other recreational outdoor activities; 15
(iv) Therapeutic outdoor activities; or 16
(v) Workforce training for green jobs, including outdoor agricultural 17
jobs. 18
(3) “Gold Star recipient” means a recipient of the U.S. Department of 19
Defense Gold Star for surviving spouses, parents, and next of kin of members of the armed 20
forces of the United States who lost their lives in combat. 21
(b) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the Chesapeake 22
Bay Trust may use the Healing Hunting and Fishing Fund established under subsection 23
(d) of this section to make grants to eligible sponsor organizations. 24
(ii) In awarding a grant to an eligible sponsor organization that 25
provides opportunities that the eligible sponsor organization believes benefit veterans or 26
members of the armed forces of the United States, the Chesapeake Bay Trust shall 27
determine whether the opportunities provided by the eligible sponsor organization will, in 28
fact, benefit veterans or members of the armed forces of the United States. 29
(2) A grant awarded under this subsection may be used only to pay capital, 30
operational, or programming costs incurred by an eligible sponsor organization in providing 31
any of the following opportunities: 32
(i) Recreational hunting or fishing, INCLUDING PROVIDING AT NO 33 SENATE BILL 665 3
COST: 1
1. AN ANGLER’S LICENSE AND TROUT STAMPS; 2
2. A CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL SPORT FISHING 3
LICENSE; OR 4
3. A HUNTING LICENSE AND ANY CORRESPONDING 5
STAMPS; 6
(ii) Recreational water activities; 7
(iii) Other recreational outdoor activities; 8
(iv) Therapeutic outdoor activities; or 9
(v) Workforce training for green jobs, including outdoor agricultural 10
jobs. 11
(d) (1) In this subsection, “Fund” means the Healing Hunting and Fishing 12
Fund. 13
(2) There is a Healing Hunting and Fishing Fund. 14
(3) The purpose of the Fund is to provide any of the following opportunities 15
for Gold Star recipients, disabled veterans or other veterans who could benefit from one of 16
the opportunities, disabled members of the armed forces of the United States or other 17
members of the armed forces of the United States who could benefit from one of the 18
opportunities, and permanently disabled persons who require the use of a wheelchair: 19
(i) Recreational hunting or fishing, INCLUDING PROVIDING AT NO 20
COST: 21
1. AN ANGLER’S LICENSE AND TROUT STAMPS; 22
2. A CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL SPORT FISHING 23
LICENSE; OR 24
3. A HUNTING LICENSE AND ANY CORRESPONDING 25
STAMPS; 26
(ii) Recreational water activities; 27
(iii) Other recreational outdoor activities; 28
(iv) Therapeutic outdoor activities; or 29 4 SENATE BILL 665
(v) Workforce training for green jobs, including outdoor agricultural 1
jobs. 2
4–607. 3
(a) (1) The Department may issue annually a complimentary angler’s license 4
to the President of the United States, the governor of any state, and any official of the game 5
and fish department of any other state. 6
(2) The Department may issue a lifetime complimentary angler’s license to 7
any Maryland resident who certifies that the resident is a former prisoner of war or 100% 8
service connected disabled American veteran. 9
(3) The Department may issue a lifetime complimentary angler’s license to 10
an out–of–state person who certifies that the person is a former prisoner of war or a 100% 11
service connected disabled American veteran if the person’s state of residence extends 12
similar privileges to former prisoners of war or 100% service connected disabled American 13
veterans of this State. 14
(b) Not more than 20 complimentary angler’s licenses for each state other than 15
Maryland shall be outstanding at any time. 16
(c) A complimentary angler’s license is not transferable and shall be issued 17
without a fee. 18
(d) For the purposes of this section, “former prisoner of war” means a person who, 19
while serving in the active military, naval, or air service of the United States, was forcibly 20
detained or interned in the line of duty by an enemy government or its agents, or a hostile 21
force, during a period of armed conflict. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
1, 2022. 24