Bills to Watch: Fishing-License Fees, Groundwater Coordinating Council

AB-414 / SB-383

Fishing-license fees for youth and seniors

This bill would reduce the fee for a first-time fishing license to $4.25 for people ages 16-17 or older than 65 to encourage more youth and seniors to get involved in Wisconsin angling. The number of fishing licenses sold in the state has declined during the past several years, which has led to a reduction in conservation funding. The bill passed the Senate and is currently tabled in the Assembly. 

LRB-5769

Groundwater coordinating council

This bill would increase funding related to groundwater research. In a memo attached to the bill proposal, Rep. Katrina Shankland said the amount of funding for groundwater research at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the University of Wisconsin System has decreased. This bill would provide $500,000 to both the DNR and UW System for groundwater-related research. The bill finished circulating for co-sponsorship Feb. 21.