HB 5128 - Environmental Conservation Licensing Summary

• Expands the Commissioner of Environmental Protection's authority to grant revocable licenses for public purposes to include "other lands under the commissioner's control" in addition to state forests and parks (effective October 1, 2010).

• Defines "agent" as any town clerk or retail establishment authorized by the commissioner to issue hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, permits, stamps, and tags (effective January 1, 2011).

• Shifts license issuance responsibilities from town clerks to the commissioner or authorized agents, with agents remitting fees directly to the Department of Environmental Protection on a schedule established by the commissioner rather than monthly to town clerks.

• Changes the agent recording fee structure from a fixed one dollar per license to an amount "established by the commissioner" for flexibility in fee adjustments.

• Repeals section 26-37 of the general statutes and simplifies annual reporting requirements for agents, removing requirements to return unused license forms and voided licenses while maintaining a two-year record-keeping requirement (effective January 1, 2011).