TITLE: Relating to a lifetime hunting license for certain nonresidents; authorizing a fee.

SUMMARY: Relating to a lifetime hunting license for certain nonresidents; authorizing a fee.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a lifetime hunting license for certain nonresidents; authorizing a fee. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 42.0021, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 42.0021. LIFETIME [RESIDENT] HUNTING LICENSE. The department may issue to residents of this state and nonresident landowners as provided by Section 42.0121 a lifetime [resident] hunting license. SECTION 2. Section 42.0121, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 42.0121. LIFETIME [RESIDENT] HUNTING LICENSE FEE. (a) A nonresident landowner may purchase a lifetime hunting license if a person related to the landowner within the first degree by consanguinity has owned property in this state for at least 15 years before the date of the purchase of the license. A license purchased under this subsection may be revoked in accordance with commission rule if the landowner ceases to own property in this state. (b) The fee for a lifetime [resident] hunting license is $300 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more. SECTION 3. Section 42.0175(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) A license issued under this chapter, other than a lifetime [resident] hunting license or a nonresident five-day special hunting license is valid only during the yearly period for which the license is issued without regard to the date on which a license is acquired. Each yearly period begins on September 1 or on another date set by the commission and extends through August 31 of the next year or another date set by the commission. A license issued under this chapter other than a nonresident five-day special hunting license that is issued before September 1 or another date set by the commission and does not expire until August 31 of the next year or another date set by the commission is valid from the date of issuance through August 31 of the following year or another date set by the commission. The commission by rule may set the amount of a license fee for a license issued during a transition period at an amount lower than prescribed in this chapter and provide for a license term for a transition period that is shorter or longer than a year. SECTION 4. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a fee charged for a hunting license issued on or after the effective date of this Act. (b) A hunting license issued before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the license was issued, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. The Parks and Wildlife Department is not required to issue a refund for any license issued before the effective date of this Act. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.