Bill Text: CA SB1021 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 1021

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Fishing and hunting: youth program.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 15-4)

Status: (Engrossed) 2026-06-17 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [SB1021 Detail]

Download: California-2025-SB1021-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate April 07, 2026

Amended IN Senate March 16, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1021

Introduced by Senator Choi
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Hadwick)
(Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Cabaldon, Dahle, Grove, Jones, Menjivar, and Strickland)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Alanis, Castillo, Flora, Johnson, and Tangipa)

February 10, 2026

An act to add and repeal Section 318 to of the Fish and Game Code, relating to fish and wildlife.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1021, as amended, Choi. Fishing and hunting: youth program.

The California Constitution establishes the Fish and Game Commission and provides for the delegation to the commission of powers relating to the protection and propagation of fish and game. Existing law places the Fish and Game Commission in the Natural Resources Agency.

This bill would require the commission to to, on or before January 1, 2028, establish a program to increase opportunities to fish, and to hunt big game, wild pigs, upland game birds, and migratory game birds, for resident youth with life-threatening illnesses. The bill would require the commission, in developing the program, to consult with the Department of Fish and ~~Wildlife and~~ Wildlife, certain interested nonprofit ~~organizations.~~ organizations, and other interested parties. The bill would require the department to, on or before January 1, 2032, prepare and submit a report to the relevant legislative policy and budget committees in both houses of the Legislature, as provided. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 318 is added to the Fish and Game Code, immediately following Section 317, to read:

318.

(a) (1) ~~The~~ On or before January 1, 2028, the commission shall establish a program to increase opportunities to fish, and to hunt big game, wild pigs, upland game birds, and migratory game birds, for resident youth with life-threatening illnesses.

(2) In developing the program, the ~~commission~~ commission, through a public process, shall consult with the ~~department and~~ department, interested nonprofit organizations that have goals and objectives directly related to the management and conservation of fish, big game, wild pigs, upland ~~game,~~ game birds, and migratory game bird species and primarily represent the interests of persons licensed pursuant to ~~Section 3031.~~ Sections 3031 and 7145, and any other interested parties.

(b) The program shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) Any hunter education requirements established pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 3049) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 4 shall not be waived.
(2) The department shall take any potential allocation of an animal or animals to the program into consideration when determining the number of opportunities to be made available to the hunting community to take species with limited populations where tags are available by lottery or auction only.
(3) The director shall notify the commission of any program activities at commission meetings.
(4) The commission may authorize the establishment of special hunts for the program within the general season for the species.
(c) (1) On or before January 1, 2032, the department shall prepare and submit a report to the relevant legislative policy and budget committees in both houses of the Legislature. The report shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
(A) The number and types of opportunities provided to youth with life-threatening illnesses pursuant to the program and the number of youth who participated in those opportunities. The date or dates of each opportunity and any participating nonprofit organization that assisted with the opportunity.
(B) Recommendations, if any, to improve the program. The department may solicit recommendations from stakeholders and the public.
(C) All department and commission costs in developing and implementing the program, and revenues, if any, associated with the program.
(2) For purposes of the report described in paragraph (1), data collection efforts shall avoid duplication and data collected for other purposes shall be used to the extent feasible.
(3) A report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
~~(b)~~

(d) For purposes of this section, ~~“big~~ the following definitions apply:

(1) “Big game” has the same meaning as defined in Section 350 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.

(2) “Life-threatening illness” means an illness that can lead to a possibility of a termination of life within five years or less as stated in writing by the patient’s attending physician or surgeon.
(3) “Program” means the program developed by the commission pursuant to subdivision (a).
(4) “Youth” means an individual younger than 18 years of age.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2033, and as of that date is repealed.