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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2355 By: Dempsey of the House
and
Murdock of the Senate
[ game and fish – lifetime licenses – air bows –
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, lifetim e hunting licenses or
lifetime combination hunting and fishing licenses from the State
Wildlife Conservation Director.
B. The fee for these license s shall be:
1. Lifetime fishing license, Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00 );
2. Lifetime hunting license, Six H undred 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);
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5. Senior citizen lifetime fishing license 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 registered with
the veterans registry created by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans
Affairs may purchase a disability lifetime combination hunting and
fishing license from the State Wildlife Conservation Director. The
fees for the license shall be as follows:
1. Two Hundred Dollars ($200.0 0) for veterans having a
disability of less than sixty percent (60%); and
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 section are subject
to those restrictions provided by statute and the regulat ions of the
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 shall 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
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trapping license, controlled hunt perm its, all carcass tags, and all
special season permits.
E. Should any lifetime license 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 re sidency.
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 Lifeti me 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
Oklahoma Wildlife Land Stamp shall be Twenty -five Dollars ($25.00).
The fee for the stamp shal l be distributed as follows:
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 the Oklahoma
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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 L and 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 Section 168.9 of
Title 73 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the Lifetime Oklahoma Wildlife
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.
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I. The fee for a lif etime 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 received 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 s hall
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:
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
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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 Oklahoma 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,
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 procedure s applicable to
hunting license fees under this title shall apply to waterfowl s tamp
or license fees.
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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 taki ng 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 arrestin g game warden in lieu
of posting bond. Proof of hunter safety certification sha ll 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).
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 pur pose of developing, managing, preserving,
restoring and maintaining wetl and habitats and for the conservation
and management of waterfowl and ecologically related species.
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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 an d 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 lega l hunting method during
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
Conservation Commission for a one -time fee of Twenty Dollars
($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 required, and authorization for
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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.
Passed the House of Representatives the 6th day of March, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the Senate