Bill Text: MI SB0821 | 2025-2026 | 103rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Natural resources: hunting; lifetime hunting and fishing licenses for veterans; provide for. Amends secs. 44101, 44103, 44104, 44105 & 44106 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL324.44101 et seq.) & adds sec. 44102a.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-03-10 - Referred To Committee On Appropriations [SB0821 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2025-SB0821-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 821
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled
"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending sections 44101, 44103, 44104, 44105, and 44106 (MCL 324.44101, 324.44103, 324.44104, 324.44105, and 324.44106), sections 44101, 44103, and 44106 as added by 1995 PA 57 and sections 44104 and 44105 as amended by 2004 PA 587, and by adding section 44102a.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 44101. As used in this part:
(a) "Disabled veteran" means a veteran that has been rated as disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b) (a) "Resident" means either of the following:
(i) A person An individual who resides in a settled or permanent home or domicile within the boundaries of in this state with the intention of remaining in this state.
(ii) A student who is enrolled in a full-time course of study at a college or university within in this state.
(c) (b) "Trust fund" means the game and fish lifetime license trust fund created in section 44104.
Sec. 44102a. (1) Beginning July 1, 2027, a disabled veteran may purchase a disabled veteran lifetime hunting license. The fee for a disabled veteran lifetime hunting license is the following:
(a) For a disabled veteran rated as totally and permanently disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, no cost.
(b) For a disabled veteran rated 70% or more disabled, but less than totally and permanently disabled, by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, $50.00.
(c) For a disabled veteran rated 50% or more disabled, but less than 70% disabled, by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, $75.00.
(d) For a disabled veteran rated 30% or more disabled, but less than 50% disabled, by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, $100.00.
(2) A disabled veteran lifetime hunting license includes the privileges conferred by all of the following:
(a) A resident base license.
(b) Two deer licenses.
(c) A waterfowl hunting license.
(d) A fur harvester's license.
(e) A turkey license.
(3) Beginning July 1, 2027, a disabled veteran may purchase a disabled veteran lifetime fishing license. A disabled veteran lifetime fishing license includes the privileges conferred by an all-species fishing license. The fee for a disabled veteran lifetime fishing license is the following:
(a) For a disabled veteran rated as totally and permanently disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, no cost.
(b) For a disabled veteran rated 70% or more disabled, but less than totally and permanently disabled, by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, $50.00.
(c) For a disabled veteran rated 50% or more disabled, but less than 70% disabled, by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, $75.00.
(d) For a disabled veteran rated 30% or more disabled, but less than 50% disabled, by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, $100.00.
(4) A lifetime license issued under this section allows the holder of that license, throughout that individual's lifetime, the same privileges, responsibilities, and duties as would the equivalent annual license or stamp issued under part 435. However, a lifetime license issued under this section does not guarantee the holder of that license the right to take game except in compliance with harvest regulations and license and permit conditions established for that species by the department.
(5) A lifetime license issued under this section to an individual who is a resident at the time the license is purchased continues to be valid even if the holder of that license becomes a nonresident.
Sec. 44103. (1) A resident of this state may purchase a lifetime license by submitting a completed application accompanied by the fee required in section 44102 to a person authorized by the department to sell lifetime licenses between March 1, 1989 and February 28, 1990. A disabled veteran may purchase a disabled veteran lifetime hunting license or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license by submitting a completed application accompanied by the fee required in section 44102a to a person authorized by the department to sell disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses. The application shall provide information required by the department including:
(a) The name of the applicant.
(b) The age of the applicant.
(c) The height, weight, and eye color of the applicant.
(d) The address of the applicant.
(e) If the applicant has a driver license, the driver license number of the applicant.
(f) The social security number of the applicant.
(2) The holder of a lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license shall notify the department if he or she the individual has a name or address change.
(3) A person An individual may purchase a lifetime license for another person, individual, and upon on receipt of full payment, the department shall issue a certificate entitling the designated person individual to apply for a license as provided for in this part. If a lifetime license is purchased and a certificate issued in the name of a minor child who is under the lawful age to utilize the license, the completed application shall must be submitted at a district or regional office of the department when the child is of lawful age to utilize the license. The holder of a certificate is not eligible to hunt or fish pursuant to under the lifetime license until he or she the individual completes the application process and receives a license from the department.
(4) Upon On receipt of the completed application from the person authorized to sell lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses and receipt of the fee, the department shall review the application and mail the lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license to the applicant within 7 days. However, if the department determines that the applicant is not eligible for the equivalent license or stamp under part 435, the department shall return the fee to the applicant, minus the amount retained by the person authorized by the department to sell lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses, with notification of the denial of the application for a lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license.
(5) A person authorized by the department to sell lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses may retain the following amount:
(a) Six dollars from each lifetime fishing license, small game license, and trout and salmon license.
(b) Eight dollars from each lifetime firearm and bow and arrow deer license.
(c) Fifteen dollars from each lifetime sportsperson license and each comprehensive lifetime hunting and fishing license.
(d) Two dollars from each disabled veteran lifetime hunting license.
(e) Two dollars from each disabled veteran lifetime fishing license.
(6) A person authorized to sell lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses shall, before the twenty-fifth day of each month, tender to the department the money received from the fifteenth day of the preceding month to the fifteenth day of the month in which payment is tendered for the lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses sold during that period, along with any other relevant information required by the department.
(7) A person authorized to sell lifetime licenses, before March 31, 1990, shall file with the department a complete report of all lifetime licenses sold between March 1, 1989 and February 28, 1990. All information required in subsection (1), unsold lifetime licenses, and remaining money, not previously sent to the department, shall be returned to the department.
(7) (8) If a license issued under this part is lost, damaged, or destroyed, the licensee may apply to the department for a replacement lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license by filing an affidavit and meeting the requirements of this part for procuring a lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license. However, the department shall waive the fee for a lifetime license, shall be waived disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license if the licensee presents the department with the damaged license or the facts presented regarding the destruction or loss of the lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license are verified by a police report or other verification approved by the department. The department or a conservation officer may require the holder of a lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses to obtain a replacement license from the department if the license is mutilated or illegible.
(8) (9) The department shall forward the proceeds of the sale of lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses to the state treasurer.
Sec. 44104. (1) The game and fish lifetime license trust fund is created within in the state treasury for the benefit of the people of this state to assist in providing adequate long-term funding for the game and fish protection account of the Michigan conservation and recreation legacy fund provided for in section 2010.
(2) The state treasurer shall credit money received from the sale of lifetime hunting and fishing licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses under this part to the trust fund.
(3) The state treasurer shall invest the trust fund in the same manner as surplus funds are invested.
Sec. 44105. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), the corpus of the trust fund and the interest and earnings of the trust fund shall be maintained and invested by the state treasurer as provided in section 44104.
(2) For each lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license issued under this part, the state treasurer shall credit annually to the game and fish protection account of the Michigan conservation and recreation legacy fund provided for in section 2010 from the accumulated interest and earnings of the trust fund, and from the corpus of the trust fund if the accumulated interest and earnings of the trust fund are insufficient, that amount of money that the department would have received had the holder of the lifetime license, disabled veteran lifetime hunting license, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing license purchased the equivalent annual license during the license year. For a comprehensive lifetime hunting and fishing license, the equivalent annual license for purposes of calculations required by this section shall be the annual sportsperson license available pursuant to section 43521.
Sec. 44106. In addition to any other penalty provided by law, a person who violates section 44103 shall forfeit the right to issue lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses and shall forfeit the right to retain the fee provided in section 44103(5) for lifetime licenses, disabled veteran lifetime hunting licenses, or disabled veteran lifetime fishing licenses not received by the department within 20 days after the date the fees should have been tendered as provided in section 44103.
