Denoted as the “Colorado Heroes Hunting and Fishing Act,” representatives in Colorado are hoping House bill 1374 serves members of the military with free hunting and fishing licenses.
Awaiting approval from the House Appropriations Committee, House floor, Senate committees and Republicans on the Senate floor, a pair of Democratic Representatives are hopeful the bill passes within the next 24 hours.
Despite the fast-approaching deadline, as today is the final day of the 2017 legislative session, Democratic Reps. Jessie Danielson of Wheat Ridge and Barbara McLachlan of Durango, believe this would be the least they could do for our country’s veterans.
“I believe veterans who hunt and fish ought to be able to do so for free – and that is why I wrote the Colorado Heroes Hunting and Fishing Act,” McLachlan said in a statement. “It’s the least we can do for Coloradans who stepped up to defend our freedoms.”
While saluting our military is extremely hard to argue against, the cost of such a program is estimated at roughly $1.6 million per year.
This coming shortly after a Colorado Senate committee slashed a package of license and fee increases for the state’s hunters and anglers, which have not risen since 2005. As the state’s Division of Parks and Wildlife is facing a tight budget, and possible cuts, it is unlikely such a bill would be passed at this point.
