| Chapter 359 |
| 2026 -- S 3079 Enacted 06/23/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- LICENSING |
Introduced By: Senators Britto, McKenney, Burke, Urso, and Bissaillon |
| Date Introduced: March 13, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 20-2-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-2 entitled "Licensing" is |
| hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 20-2-31. Hunting and fishing licenses — Exceptions. |
| (a) Every valid license to hunt or fish in this state that is held by any resident of this state |
| upon joining the armed forces or the merchant marine of the United States is hereby extended and |
| is in force and valid until six (6) months following the termination of his or her service. |
| (b) Every member of the armed forces or of the merchant marine of the United States may |
| hunt or fish in this state if that person procures a hunting or fishing license issued by the state of |
| Rhode Island, the fee for which is that charged for a resident civilian. |
| (c) Every man or woman who was a part of the armed forces of the United States |
| government and is now a one hundred percent (100%) disabled veteran, and any man or woman |
| who is one hundred percent (100%) permanently disabled, is entitled, subject to the provisions of |
| this title, to receive a license to hunt or fish or both in this state; and upon the presentation of his or |
| her necessary military discharge identification or disability papers or both, as prescribed by the |
| department of environmental management, shall, at the discretion of the licensing authority, |
| receive, without the payment of any license fee, a continuing special form of license authorizing |
| the man or woman to hunt or fish or both in this state in accordance with the provisions of this title |
| and regulations issued pursuant to this title for so long as he or she so desires; provided, however, |
| that the man or woman, having once made application for this license, shall not again be required |
| to appear before the licensing authority to present his or her papers. |
| (d) A freshwater fishing license is not required of any blind person. For the purposes of |
| this section, a person is blind only if his or her central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the |
| better eye with correcting lenses or if his or her visual acuity is greater than 20/200 but is |
| accompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field |
| subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees (20°). |
| (e) Every resident man or woman over the age of sixty-five (65) years is entitled, subject |
| to the provisions of this title and the regulations issued pursuant to this title, to receive a special |
| permanent license to hunt or fish or both in this state for which there is no fee. |
| (f) Any man or woman who is one hundred percent (100%) permanently disabled may |
| apply to receive a license to fish in this state, and upon presentation of a proof of his or her disability |
| as prescribed by the department of environmental management, receive, without the payment of |
| any license fee, a continuing special form of license authorizing the man or woman to fish in this |
| state for so long as he or she so desires; provided, however, that the man or woman, having once |
| made application for this license, shall not again be required to appear before the licensing authority |
| to present his or her papers. |
| (g) The director may, by regulation, designate no more than two (2) days in each year, |
| which may or may not be consecutive, during which residents and nonresidents may, without |
| having a license and without payment of any fee, exercise the privileges of a holder of a freshwater |
| fishing license. These persons are subject to all other limitations, restrictions, conditions, laws, |
| rules, and regulations applicable to the holder of a freshwater fishing license. |
| (h) For the purpose of this section, “man or woman who is one hundred percent (100%) |
| permanently disabled” means an individual who has a physical or mental impairment and is |
| receiving: |
| (1) Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI); |
| (2) Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI). |
| All licenses that are issued to persons who qualify pursuant to this subsection shall be |
| issued without the requirement of the payment of a fee and shall expire annually on February 28 of |
| each year. Persons seeking the issuance or reissuance of licenses shall be required to present |
| documentation establishing that the applicant is qualified, or remains qualified, pursuant to this |
| subsection. |
| (i) Every member of a federally recognized Indian tribe that is located in Rhode Island is |
| entitled, subject to the provisions of this title and regulations issued pursuant to this title, to receive |
| a freshwater fishing license for which there is no fee. |
| SECTION 2. Section 20-2.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-2.1 entitled "Commercial |
| Fishing Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 20-2.1-8. Dealers’ licenses and fees. |
| (a) No person, partnership, firm, association, or corporation shall barter or trade in marine |
| species taken by persons licensed under this chapter unless a license so to do has been obtained |
| from the director of environmental management. |
| (b) Any licensee operating under the provisions of this section shall purchase marine |
| species from licensed persons only and shall purchase or possess only those lobsters marine species |
| legally taken or possessed. |
| (c) The director shall issue and enforce rules and regulations and orders governing bartering |
| and trading in marine species by licensed persons of marine species and licensed dealers, and other |
| persons, partnerships, firms, associations, or corporations. |
| (d) License types and fees. |
| (1) Multipurpose dealer’s license This license shall allow the dealer to purchase or sell |
| all marine products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in |
| which it is issued. The fee shall be four hundred and fifty dollars ($450). |
| (2) Finfish dealer’s license. This license shall allow the dealer to purchase or sell all finfish |
| products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in which it is |
| issued. The fee shall be three hundred dollars ($300). |
| (3) Shellfish dealer’s license. This license shall allow the dealer to purchase or sell all |
| shellfish products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in |
| which it is issued. The fee shall be three hundred dollars ($300). |
| (4) Crustacean dealer license. This license shall allow the dealer to purchase all |
| crustacean products in the state of Rhode Island. The license shall be valid for the calendar year in |
| which it is issued. The fee shall be three hundred dollars ($300). |
| (e) Seafood dealers license — Suspension or revocation. The director may suspend, |
| revoke, or deny the license of a seafood dealer or fisher of marine species for the violation of any |
| provision of this title or the rules, regulations, or orders adopted or issued pursuant to this title. |
| (f) Any person aggrieved by the decisions of the director may appeal the decision pursuant |
| to the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42. |
| (g) The director is authorized to enter and inspect the business premises, appurtenant |
| structures, vehicles, or vessels of any seafood dealer and to inspect the records maintained by a |
| seafood dealer for the purpose of determining compliance with the provisions of this section and |
| any rules, regulations, or orders issued under this section, and no person shall interfere with, |
| obstruct the entrance, or inspection of the director or the director’s agents of those business |
| premises, appurtenant structures, vehicles, or vessels. |
| (h) Any violation of the provisions of this section or any rule, regulation, or order adopted |
| under this section shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in § 20-1-16. |
| SECTION 3. Section 20-2.2-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-2.2 entitled |
| "Recreational Saltwater Fishing License" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 20-2.2-6. Fees — Terms and conditions — Information required. |
| (a)(1) Resident, seven dollars ($7.00); |
| (2) No fee shall be charged for residents who are over the age of sixty-five (65), or are |
| members of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Rhode Island or in active military service; |
| (3) Nonresident, ten dollars ($10.00); |
| (4) Licenses issued pursuant to this subsection shall expire on December 31st of each year. |
| (b)(1) Resident or nonresident seven-day (7), five dollars ($5.00); |
| (2) This license shall entitle the holder to fish recreationally for seven (7) consecutive days, |
| including the day of issuance. |
| (c) All license applications shall be required to provide their name, address, phone number, |
| and date of birth. |
| (d) Any lost or destroyed license shall be replaceable, during the calendar year in which it |
| was issued, or in the case of a seven-day (7) license, during the seven-day (7) period when it is |
| valid, at no cost to the license holder. |
| (e) The director is authorized to determine a portion of the license fee, not to exceed any |
| of the amounts set forth above in this section, that may be retained by the state-approved vendor |
| and authorized licensing agents, as set forth in § 20-2.2-7, as commission for services rendered. |
| SECTION 4. Sections 1 and 3 of this act shall take effect on March 1, 2027. Section 2 of |
| this act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC004960 |
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