BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1247

By: Perry

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, Texas offers multiple types of nonresident hunting licenses, including separate permits for general hunting, special hunting, and spring turkey hunting. The bill sponsor has informed the committee that there is a need for increased flexibility for these licenses, in a structure similar to other licenses issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). S.B. 1247 seeks to promote efficiency, ensure fair pricing, and strengthen the ability of TPWD to manage hunting regulations by consolidating certain nonresident hunting licenses.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1247 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to specify that the nonresident hunting license issued by Texas or a border state that extends to the license holder the same privileges as those extended to a resident license holder under provisions relating to reciprocal license agreements is a nonresident general hunting license.

S.B. 1247 redesignates the general nonresident hunting license as the nonresident general hunting license. The bill prohibits a nonresident in Texas from hunting an alligator in Texas without first having acquired a nonresident general hunting license.

S.B. 1247 removes references to a nonresident special hunting license and repeals provisions relating to such a license that do the following:

· set the fee for a nonresident special hunting license; and

· authorize a nonresident to acquire a banded bird hunting license in lieu of a general nonresident hunting license or nonresident special hunting license.

S.B. 1247 removes references to a nonresident spring turkey hunting license and repeals provisions relating to such a license that do the following:

· prohibit a nonresident in Texas from hunting a turkey during the spring turkey hunting season without first having acquired a general nonresident hunting license, a nonresident special hunting license, a nonresident five-day special hunting license, or a nonresident spring turkey hunting license; and

· set the fee for a nonresident spring turkey hunting license.

The bill replaces the provision prohibiting a nonresident from acquiring or possessing during a license year more than one nonresident spring turkey hunting license or both a general nonresident hunting license and a nonresident spring turkey hunting license with a provision prohibiting a nonresident from acquiring or possessing during a license year more than one nonresident general hunting license.

S.B. 1247 redesignates a nonresident five-day special hunting license as a nonresident five-day hunting license and revises provisions relating to such a license as follows:

· establishes that such a license is not valid for a mule deer, white-tailed deer, turkey, pronghorn antelope, desert bighorn sheep, or alligator;

· authorizes a nonresident to acquire multiple nonresident five-day hunting licenses during a license year; and

· replaces the cap on the amount of the license fee at 50 percent of the amount of the fee set for a nonresident special hunting license with a cap on the amount of the license fee at 50 percent of the amount of the fee set for a nonresident general hunting license.

S.B. 1247 repeals the following provisions of the Parks and Wildlife Code:

· Section 42.005(d);

· Section 42.014;

· Section 42.0142; and

· Section 42.0144.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.