EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0258*
SENATE BILL 258
M2 5lr0357
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 40
By: Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee (By Request –
Departmental – Natural Resources)
Requested: October 12, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Natural Resources – Fishing Licenses and Stamps – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of altering the fees for resident consolidated senior sport fishing licenses, 3
angler’s licenses, and trout stamps; repealing the exemption from the requirement 4
to obtain a trout stamp under certain circumstances for a holder of a resident 5
consolidated senior sport fishing license; and generally relating to fishing licenses 6
and stamps. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Natural Resources 9
Section 4–216, 4–604, and 4–614 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Natural Resources 15
4–216. 16
(a) The Department shall establish a resident consolidated senior sport fishing 17
license, to be issued to residents of Maryland beginning in the calendar year in which they 18
attain the age of 65. 19
(b) (1) The resident consolidated senior sport fishing license may be obtained 20
from the Department or from any authorized agent of the Department. 21
2 SENATE BILL 258
(2) The annual fee for the license is [$5] $12. 1
(3) As compensation, an agent shall retain 50 cents for each license issued. 2
(c) A resident consolidated senior sport fishing license shall be valid for 1 year 3
following the date of issuance. 4
(d) A holder of a resident consolidated senior sport fishing license may: 5
(1) Engage in angling on the nontidal waters of the State without holding 6
an angler’s license under § 4–604 of this title; AND 7
(2) [Engage in angling for trout on the nontidal waters of the State without 8
holding a trout stamp under § 4–614 of this title; and 9
(3)] Fish for finfish in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries or in the State 10
waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Atlantic coastal bays and their tributaries without 11
holding a Chesapeake Bay and coastal sport fishing license under § 4–745 of this title. 12
4–604. 13
(a) This section provides a fund to pay the expense of protecting and managing 14
game and freshwater fish and preventing unauthorized persons from fishing or attempting 15
to fish for any game and freshwater fish without first procuring an angler’s license. 16
(b) Any person 16 years old or older shall secure an angler’s license to fish in the 17
nontidal waters of the State. An angler’s license entitles the holder to fish in the nontidal 18
waters of the State only during the open season. 19
(c) An angler’s license is not required of the following: 20
(1) The owner or tenant of land bordering on nontidal water, his spouse 21
and children, or the spouse of any child who resides on the land with the owner or tenant 22
when he fishes in nontidal water adjoining his land; 23
(2) Any resident serving in the armed forces of the United States, while on 24
leave in the State, during the resident’s leave period, if, while angling, the resident 25
possesses a copy of the resident’s official leave order; 26
(3) A person who fishes in nontidal waters of the State on free fishing days 27
designated by the Secretary; 28
(4) A person holding a current resident consolidated senior sport fishing 29
license issued under § 4–216 of this title; 30
(5) A person fishing in a free fishing area established under § 4–214(b)(2) 31
of this title; or 32 SENATE BILL 258 3
(6) A person authorized by a disability exemption issued under § 4–217 of 1
this title. 2
(d) A person who wishes to obtain an angler’s license shall complete and submit 3
an application to the Department or to any person designated by the Department to issue 4
an angler’s license. 5
(e) (1) An applicant for a license issued under this section: 6
(i) Shall provide all the information requested by the Department; 7
and 8
(ii) May not willfully make a false statement or representation to the 9
Department on the application. 10
(2) The Department shall require an applicant for a license under this 11
section to provide the last four digits of the applicant’s Social Security number, if the 12
applicant has a Social Security number. 13
(f) (1) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, the following annual license 14
fees shall apply: 15
(i) Resident ………………………………………………… [$20.50] $32 16
(ii) Subject to paragraph (2)(ii) of this subsection, short–term license 17
valid for 7 consecutive days from date of issuance ………………………………….. [$7.50] $16 18
(iii) Resident and nonresident blind persons …………………… No fee 19
(iv) Complimentary license ……………………………………….. No fee 20
(2) For a nonresident: 21
(i) The fee for an annual angler’s license is the greater of: 22
1. [$30.50] $55; or 23
2. A fee equal to the fee charged a Maryland resident by the 24
nonresident’s home state for a similar license; and 25
(ii) The fee for a short–term license valid for 7 consecutive days from 26
the date of issuance is the greater of: 27
1. [$7.50] $45; or 28
4 SENATE BILL 258
2. A fee equal to the fee charged a Maryland resident by the 1
nonresident’s home state for a license that permits an equal number of days of fishing or 2
the next higher number of days as permitted by the Maryland license. 3
(iii) The fee for a short–term license valid for 3 consecutive days from 4
the date of issuance is the greater of: 5
1. [$5] $35; or 6
2. A fee equal to the fee charged a Maryland resident by the 7
nonresident’s home state for a license that permits an equal number of days of fishing or 8
the next higher number of days as permitted by the Maryland license. 9
(3) The Department shall implement a program to provide discounted 10
angler’s licenses and trout stamps to Maryland residents who are recipients of the Purple 11
Heart Award. 12
(4) (i) All fees collected by the Department under this section may only 13
be used in accordance with § 4–208 of this title. 14
(ii) The Department shall publicly report annually the amounts 15
collected and the expenditures under this section. 16
(g) A person designated to sell an angler’s license shall issue the license and 17
collect the fee prescribed in subsection (f) of this section. The collected money shall be 18
transmitted to the Department as prescribed by the Department. As compensation, the 19
agent shall retain $1 for each license issued. 20
(h) (1) Every angler’s license shall be valid for 1 year following the date of 21
issuance. 22
(2) The license may not be transferred to another person, nor used or 23
presented by any person other than the person to whom it was issued. 24
(i) Every person licensed under this section shall submit any report the 25
Department requires in accordance with Department regulations. 26
4–614. 27
(a) (1) The Department shall adopt regulations to establish fishing areas 28
where a trout stamp is required. 29
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, a person may 30
not fish or possess trout in an area established in paragraph (1) of this subsection unless 31
the person first obtains a trout stamp in addition to an angler’s license. 32
(3) A trout stamp is not required of the following: 33 SENATE BILL 258 5
(i) [A holder of a current resident consolidated senior sport fishing 1
license issued under § 4–216 of this title; 2
(ii)] A holder of a lifetime complimentary angler’s license issued 3
under § 4–607(a)(2) or (3) of this subtitle; 4
[(iii)] (II) A person authorized by a disability exemption issued 5
under § 4–217 of this title; 6
[(iv)] (III) Any resident serving in the armed forces of the United 7
States while on leave in the State, during the resident’s leave period, if, while angling, the 8
resident possesses a copy of the resident’s official leave order; or 9
[(v)] (IV) A person under 16 years of age. 10
(4) The stamp may be obtained from the Department or an authorized 11
agent of the Department. 12
(b) A person is not required to have a trout stamp to possess trout taken from: 13
(1) Any privately owned lake or pond that is stocked with trout artificially 14
propagated by commercial hatcheries or purchased from persons licensed to sell fish; or 15
(2) Any fee fishing lake or pond operated under § 4–11A–20 of this title. 16
(c) The following annual trout stamp fees shall apply: 17
(1) Resident……………………………………………………………… [$5] $20 18
(2) Nonresident……………………………………………………..…. [$10] $30 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 20
1, 2025. 21