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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
HOUSE BILL 2355 By: Dempsey
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to game and fish; amending 29 O.S.
2021, Sections 4-114, 4-130 and Section 5-213, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 253, O.S.L. 2022 (29
O.S. Supp. 2022, Sectio n 5-213), which relate to
hunting; providing that holders of certain va lid
lifetime licenses are exempt from having to purchase
certain licenses, stamps, per mits, and tags;
providing that lifetime hunting and combinat ion
lifetime hunting and fishing licens e holders are
exempt from having to purchase a state waterfowl
stamp; allowing the use of air bows during all open
hunting seasons; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 4 -114, is
amended to read as f ollows:
Section 4-114. A. All legal residents who have resided in the
state for at least six (6) month s and intend to remain residents may
purchase lifetime fishing licenses, lifetime hunting licenses or
lifetime combination hunting and fishing licenses from the State
Wildlife Conservation Director.
B. The fee for these license s shall be:
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1. Lifetime fishing license, Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00 );
2. Lifetime hunting license, Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00);
3. Lifetime combination hunting and fishing l icense, Seven
Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00);
4. Senior citizen lifetime h unting license for persons s ixty-
five (65) years of age or older, Fift een Dollars ($15.00);
5. Senior citizen lifetime fishing licens e for persons sixty-
five (65) years of age or older, Fifteen Dollars ($15.00); and
6. Senior citizen lifetime combination hunting and fishing
license for persons sixty-five (65) years of age or older, Twenty-
five Dollars ($25.00).
C. Legal A legal resident having proper certification from the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its successor
certifying that the perso n is a disabled veteran and reg istered with
the veterans registry created by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans
Affairs may purchase a d isability lifetime combination hunting and
fishing license from the State Wildlife Conservation Director. The
fees for the license shall be as follow s:
1. Two Hundred Dollars ($200.0 0) for veterans having a
disability of less than sixty percent (60%); an d
2. Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) for veterans having a
disability of sixty percent (60%) or more.
D. The use of the licenses provided in this secti on are subject
to those restrictions provided by statute and the regulations of the
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Wildlife Conservation Commission. Except as otherwise provi ded for
in this section, each lifetime hunting license issued pursuant to
subsections B and C of this section sh all be in lieu of all annual
hunting licenses, all species specific licenses, including but not
limited to deer, elk, antelope, turkey, and be ar, Oklahoma waterfowl
hunting stamp, wildlife conservation passport, fur license, annual
trapping license, controlled hunt perm its, all carcass tags, and all
special season permits.
E. Should any lifetime lice nse be lost or destroyed, a
duplicate will be issued by the Department of Wildlife Conservation
for a fee of Ten Dollars ($10.00 ).
F. A lifetime licensee shall not lose the privileges of such
license by a subsequent transfer of residency.
G. 1. In addition to the fees imposed pursuant to paragraphs 1
through 3 of subsection B of this section, a person purchasing a
lifetime fishing, hunting or combination license, excluding a senior
citizen lifetime hunting, fishing or combination hunting and fishing
license issued pursuant to paragraphs 4 through 6 o f subsection B of
this section and a disability lifetime combination hunting and
fishing license issued pursuant to subsection C of this section,
shall be required to purchase a Lifetime Oklahoma Wildlife Land
Stamp. Each person shall have the stamp in th eir possession while
hunting, fishing, or taking any wildlife. The fee for the L ifetime
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Oklahoma Wildlife Land Stamp shall be Twenty -five Dollars ($25.00).
The fee for the stamp shall be distributed as follo ws:
a. Twenty Dollars ($20.00) from each stamp shall be
deposited in the Oklahoma Wildlife Land Fund, created
in Section 4-141 of this title, to be used to retire
the obligations and related ex penses as authorized
pursuant to Section 168.9 of Title 73 of t he Oklahoma
Statutes or to purchase, lease, or purchase easements
on real property to be used as public hunting,
fishing, and trapping areas, and
b. Five Dollars ($5.00) from each stamp shall b e
deposited in the Oklahoma Wildlife Land Fund, created
in Section 4-141 of this title, to be used by the
Commission for management of the real property
acquired pursuant to Section 168.9 of Title 73 of the
Oklahoma Statutes or acquired with proceeds from the
Oklahoma Wildlife Land Stamp fee.
2. The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission shall
prescribe, by rule, the form, design, and manner of issuance of the
Lifetime Oklahoma Wildlife La nd Stamp.
3. Within one (1) year of the final retirement, redemp tion, or
defeasance of the obligations created pursuant to Sect ion 168.9 of
Title 73 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the Lifetime Oklahoma Wildlife
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Land Stamp and Lifetime Oklahoma Wildlife Land St amp fee
requirements provided for in this subsection shall termin ate.
H. A person who is sixty -four (64) years of age shall be
eligible to purchase a senior citizen lifetime license issued
pursuant to paragraphs 4 through 6 of subsection B of this section
during the calendar year in which the person turns sixty -five (65)
years of age.
I. The fee for a lifetime fishing license, a lifetime hunting
license, or a lifetime combina tion hunting and fishing license
issued pursuant to paragraphs 1 through 3 of sub section B of this
section for a legal resident under eighteen (18 ) years of age may be
paid for by installments not to exceed a three-year period of time
and in a manner deter mined by the Director. The lifetime license
shall not be issued and become valid until full payment is received
by the Department of Wildlife Con servation. If the entire amount of
the license fee is not rece ived within three (3) years from the date
the application for installment payments is submitted to the
Department, all funds rec eived shall be forfeited and shall not be
refunded.
J. The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission shall
promulgate any rules necessary to implement the provisions of this
section.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 4 -130, is
amended to read as follows:
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Section 4-130. A. Except as otherwise provided in the Oklahoma
Wildlife Conservation Code, no person may hunt or take any waterfowl
during the open season on waterfowl unless the person has first
obtained an Oklahoma w aterfowl hunting stamp or license from the
Director or authorized agents of the Director. Each person shall
have the stamp or license in their possession when hunting or taki ng
any waterfowl. When a stamp is purchased, the st amp shall be
validated by the signature of the licensee written across the face
of the stamp.
B. Persons excepted from the Oklahoma waterfowl hunting stamp
or license requirement of this section are:
1. Legal residents of Oklahoma under sixteen (16) year s of age;
and
2. Legal residents of Oklahoma who have a valid lifetime
hunting, or combination lifetime hunting and fishing license;
3. Legal residents of Ok lahoma who have a valid senior citizen
lifetime hunting or senior citizen lifetime combination hunting and
fishing license; and
4. Legal residents of Oklahoma sixty -five (65) years of age or
older.
C. 1. The Oklahoma waterfowl hunting stamp fee and waterfowl
license shall each be Nine Dollars ($9. 00). The remainder of the
fee shall be deposited in the Wildlife Con servation Fund, to be used
exclusively in the State of Oklah oma, for the purpose of developing,
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managing, preserving, restoring and maintaining wetland habitats and
for the conservation a nd management of waterfowl and ecologically
related species.
2. The collection and remittance procedures applicable to
hunting license fees under this title shall apply to waterfowl stamp
or license fees.
3. The waterfowl stamp or license issued pursuant to this
section shall expire on June 30 of each year.
D. The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission may prescribe,
by regulation, the form, design and manner of issuance, if any, of
the waterfowl stamp, which could include the selection of art for
such stamp from an art contest regulated by the Commission.
E. 1. Any person arrested for hunting or taking any waterfowl
during the open season on waterfowl without a valid Oklahoma
waterfowl hunting stamp or license as required by the provisions of
subsection A of this section may purchase a substitute temporary
thirty-day stamp or license from the arresting game warden in lieu
of posting bond. Proof of hunter safety certification shall not be
required for the temporary substitute stamp or license. The f ee for
a substitute stamp or license purchased pursuant to the provis ions
of this subsection shall be:
a. for legal residents – Fifty Dollars ($50.00), and
b. for nonresidents – One Hundred Forty-five Dollars
($145.00).
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2. The fees from the temporary stam p and license purchased
pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall be deposited in
the Wildlife Conservation Fund, to be used exclusively in the State
of Oklahoma, for the purpose of developing, managing, preserving,
restoring and maintaining wetl and habitats and for the conservation
and management of waterfowl and ecologically related species.
F. Any person convicted of v iolating any of the provisions of
this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than Twenty -
five Dollars ($25.00) nor mo re than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).
G. Nothing in this title shal l prohibit a person from hunting
waterfowl exclusively on th eir own property without an Oklahoma
waterfowl hunting stamp or license.
SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 5-213, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 253, O.S.L. 2022 (29 O.S. Supp. 2022,
Section 5-213), is amended to read as follows:
Section 5-213. A. The use of crossbows and conventional
longbows with a device that permits the bow to be held mechanically
at full or partial draw, shall be a legal hunting meth od during any
open season when convent ional longbows are a legal means of take.
B. The use of air bows shall be a legal hunting method duri ng
any open season when rifles are a legal means of take. No person
may hunt or take during the open season with an air bow unless the
person has first obtained a stamp issued by the Oklahoma Wild life
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Conservation Commission for a one -time fee of Twenty D ollars
($20.00).
C. At such time as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Ac t
is amended to expand the excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition
to include air bows and air guns, the stamp purs uant to subsection B
of this section shall no longer be re quired, and authorization for
the continual use of air bows as a legal means of take shall be
established by rules pr omulgated by the Commission.
SECTION 4. It being immediately nec essary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, b y reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage an d approval.
59-1-6201 JL 01/18/23