A bill that would make Missouri hunting and fishing permits free for military personnel and disabled veterans faced bipartisan criticism Monday.
The legislation would require the conservation commission to remove costs for some service members’ hunting and fishing tags.
The free permits would be given to 100% disabled veterans that are Missouri residents and any active military personnel regardless of residency. Their dependents would get the same benefits.
“For our disabled veterans, I think it’s the least that we could do to at least offer them the opportunity to go hunting at no cost since they have given so much to our county,” said the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Don Mayhew of Crocker.
Mayhew also says that the Missouri Department of Conservation has seen a budget surplus in recent years, and thus should give free permits to these veterans.
Members of the House Committee of Conservation and Natural Resources questioned the bill, given it is still taking money away from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
State Rep. Michael Burton, a Democrat from Lakeshire, said the department will soon be funding projects that will use up more of their budget. The department can also use extra money as emergency funds for disaster response.
“Missouri has one of the best, if not the best conservation department in the country … people from all over the country, all over the world come to Missouri to hunt and fish,” Burton said. “I don’t want to put that in limbo.”
State Rep. Brenda Shields, a Republican from St. Joseph, also praised the Department of Conservation for its projects and nature centers.
“I think that we are the envy of other states, not because we collect more tax revenue than we use, but because of all the wonderful programs,” Shields said.
Regardless of budgeting, Mayhew still wants to give veterans benefits via the conservation department.
Steve Jones, an Army veteran who has hunted and fished his whole life, also encourages veteran benefits but disagrees because there would be minimal change.
He pointed out that Missourians aged 65 and older only need to purchase permits for hunting large animals and birds, and this rule also applies to 60% or higher disabled veterans. Jones says that this bill would only be including non-disabled and veterans younger than 65.
“To give a veteran like me the same benefits and recognition of those who spent time as a POW, or suffered the effects of service-related injury or illness strikes me as absurd,” Jones said.
Aaron Jeffries, deputy director of the Missouri Department of Conservation, said that veterans are given other types of benefits from the department of conservation.
“What I’m most proud of is the work that our staff do, as well as our conservation partners, that put on veteran hunts, active duty military hunts.” Jeffries said.
Jones says that he thinks the bill should end in committee as he believes it would likely not survive the legislation process and could even be challenged by the Supreme Court.
