Monday, April 15, 2019

Arkansas: Disabled Veterans Lifetime Hunt/Fish License Approved

LITTLE ROCK – During a ceremony in the governor’s office Wednesday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed Senate Bill 397. The bill creates an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission resident disabled veterans license that includes a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license, a lifetime Arkansas duck stamp and an Arkansas trout stamp.

The governor said the license is a way to recognize and honored disable veterans for their service and sacrifice in serving the country. “It’s one way to recognize and honor the service of disabled veterans in this state.”

AGFC Director Pat Fitts said the license will double the reach of eligible recipients to over 14,000 disabled veterans. “It also lowers the threshold from 100 percent disable to 70% disabled,” Fitts said. “We did work very closely with the Veterans Affairs office on this bill and while we can never fully repay our disabled veterans for what they have given this country, we can say ‘thank you’ by offering this lifetime license,” he added.

The cost of the license will be $52.50 and will be available 90 days after the current legislative session officially adjourns. The new license is an option to the current $1.50 resident disabled military veteran lifetime fishing license and the $1.50 resident disabled military veteran lifetime hunting license.