HB344 Alabama 2019 Session

Under existing law, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources may issue military veterans appreciation freshwater fishing licenses for military veterans who are 20 percent or more disabled for a nominal fee, and may sanction a disabled three-day freshwater fishing license for up to 20 disabled residents or nonresidents and their assistants, per event

This bill would authorize the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to issue military veterans appreciation saltwater fishing licenses to veterans who are 20 percent or more disabled for a nominal fee, would authorize a check-off option for persons obtaining the saltwater fishing licenses to donate an additional one dollar to the Division of Marine Resources for the purposes of research on fisheries and aquatic habitat, and would authorize the department to issue three-day saltwater fishing event licenses to disabled persons

Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment

To amend Section 9-11-53.1, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to saltwater fishing licenses; to authorize the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to issue military veterans appreciation saltwater fishing licenses to certain veterans for a nominal fee; to add Section 9-11-56.5 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to issue three-day saltwater fishing event licenses to disabled persons; and in connection therewith to have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended.