An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and furtaking licenses, further providing for classes of licenses and for license costs and fees.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Dan Laughlin

SB 1388 updates hunting and furtaking licenses in Pennsylvania, changing license types and fees to standardize costs and funding for wildlife management.

Referred to Game & Fisheries

Summary of SB 1388 (Pennsylvania, 2025-2026)

Purpose and intent

SB 1388 is a bill within the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania that proposes amendments to Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.

The primary aim is to modify the classes of hunting and furtaking licenses and adjust license costs and fees.

Key provisions and changes

Classes of licenses: Introduces or revises the framework for different license types related to hunting and furtaking. This may affect eligibility, validity, and administrative handling of various licenses.

License costs and fees: Establishes specific dollar amounts or percentage changes for license fees. The bill likely clarifies whether these are per license, per activity (hunting vs. furtaking), or per duration (annual vs. multi-year).

Administrative structure: Potential alignment or consolidation of fee schedules across categories to improve consistency and enforcement.

Conservation funding implications: Changes in license fees could affect revenue streams dedicated to wildlife management, habitat restoration, and enforcement activities.

Affected parties and entities

Hunters and furtakers: Individuals who purchase licenses would be directly impacted by any changes to license types and the associated costs.

Pennsylvania Game Commission (or equivalent administering agency): Would implement, administer, and enforce the revised license framework and fee structure.

Residents and non-residents seeking licenses: Depending on the specificity of the bill, both groups could experience changes in access, eligibility, or cost.

State wildlife management programs: Funding and program operations may be affected through modified fee revenues.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Current status: As of the latest action, the bill has been referred to the Game & Fisheries committee, indicating it is in the legislative review phase and awaiting committee consideration, potential amendments, and votes.

Next steps in process: If advanced by the committee, SB 1388 would move to the full chamber for debate, potential amendments, and votes, followed by the other legislative chamber and ultimately the governor for signature or veto.

Effective date: The bill’s text should specify effective dates for any new or amended license provisions; absent a stated date, new provisions typically take effect upon enactment or at the start of a subsequent licensing period.

Additional context

The provided historical snippet references SB 1388 from the 1983-1984 session with unrelated content about the Public School Code and investing of school district funds. The current, active reference indicates the 2025-2026 version concerns hunting and furtaking licenses, distinct from the 1980s education bill history.

An additional co-sponsor is listed as Dan Laughlin, indicating some legislative support and potential for broader sponsorship.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to include the bill’s exact language, fiscal impact statements, or potential statutory cross-references once the committee docket or bill text is available.