Senate bill would redo licensing by states

Friday, April 22, 2005 | 9:44 a.m.

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- A bill allowing Nevada and other states to have more control over hunting and fishing licenses is one step closer to becoming law.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill proposed by Nevada Sens. Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic Leader, and Republican John Ensign. It now awaits a full Senate vote.

The bill would allow Nevada and other states to make their own license decisions and distinguish between residents and non-residents when issuing hunting and fishing licenses. Reid and Ensign re-introduced the bill earlier this year to fix a problem created by a 2002 federal court ruling.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that if states are going to put limits on the number of hunting tags offered to out-of-state residents, the limits must be made in the "least discriminatory" way possible.

Three hunters in New Mexico sued Nevada last year for discriminating against non-residents because the state has reserved 90 percent of its big-game permits for residents.

Nevada receives about 75,000 applications a year for permits to hunt big game like big-horn sheep, elk, deer and antelope. But the state only grants about 18,000, with between 5 and 10 percent granted to non-Nevada residents, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Ensign called it a "states' right issue that should not be subject to federal interference."

Reid said "Nevadans invest in conserving our fish and game resources, and they should be rewarded for their efforts."