Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases fees for fishing and hunting licenses in Michigan.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to require an individual to have a certain license or pay a recreation passport fee to use a state-owned shooting range (Sec. 503d).

• Establishes the shooting and education fund in the state treasury to fund the operation and maintenance of state-owned shooting ranges and the administration of shooting education programs (Sec. 503d).

• Repeals the order banning deer and elk baiting on April 1, 2026 (Sec. 40111a).

• Increases the fee for a mentored hunting license from $7.50 to $10 (Sec. 43520).

• Increases the fee for a sportcard issued to individuals who do not possess a Michigan driver license from $1 to $2 (Sec. 43522).

• Increases the fee for a base hunting license from $10 to $15 for residents, and from $150 to $200 for nonresidents (Sec. 43523).

• Increases the fee for a 7-day limited nonresident small game license from $80 to $125 (Sec. 43523).

• Increases the fee for a 3-day limited nonresident small game license from $50 to $80 (Sec. 43523).

• Increases the fee for a combination hunt and fish license from $75 to $100 for residents, and from $265 to $355 for nonresidents (Sec. 43523b).

• Establishes the fee for a complete license as $150 for residents, and $450 for nonresidents, and specifies the following privileges authorized by a complete license (Sec. 43523b):

• A base license;

• Two deer licenses;

• One antlerless deer license;

• An all-species fishing license;

• A spring and fall wild turkey hunting license;

• A waterfowl hunting license;

• A pheasant hunting license; and

• A fur harvester’s license.

• Increases the fee for a wild turkey hunting license from $15 to $18 (Sec. 43524).

• Increases the amount of funds collected from wild turkey hunting licenses required to be used for research, survey work, turkey habitat management, forestland, disease testing, and other wild turkey management (Sec. 43524).

• Increases the fee for a waterfowl hunting license from $12 to $18 (Sec. 43525b).

• Increases the amount of funds collected from waterfowl hunting licenses required to be used for wetland improvement (Sec. 43525b).

• Increases the fee for a deer license from $20 to $25 (Sec. 43527a).

• Increases the fee for an additional nonresident deer license from $170 to $225 (Sec. 43527a).

• Increases the fee for a resident bear hunting license from $15 to $30, and a nonresident bear hunting license from $150 to $180 (Sec. 43528).

• Increases the fee for an elk hunting license from $100 to $125 (Sec. 43529).

• Increases the fee for a fur harvester’s license from $15 to $18 (Sec. 43531).

• Increases the fee for a resident all-species fishing license from $25 to $30, and a nonresident all-species fishing license from $75 to $90 (Sec. 43532).

• Increases the application fees for various hunting licenses to $6 (Sec. 43524-43532).

• Establishes the cold-water subaccount in the game and fish protection account for cold-water habitat improvement (Sec. 43532).

• Increases the fee for a resident 24-hour fishing license from $10 to $15, and authorizes a nonresident to purchase a 24-hour fishing license for $25 (Sec. 43533).

• Specifies that this Act does not take effect unless Senate Bill 277 is enacted into law (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text