Bill Caption

Relating to the requirements of certain minors applying for a hunting or fishing license.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

HB 821 would prohibit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) from requiring the Social Security number of an applicant who is seeking to get a fishing and hunting license and is 13 years of age or younger. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

No changes were made to this bill in the Senate Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs Committee.  

First chamber analysis below:

Currently, when people apply for hunting & fishing licenses they must provide their Social Security number. The purpose of this is to allow the government to enforce child support on someone who is seeking a license. If the system shows that a person owes child support the hunting and fishing license is rejected.  

This law even runs a child support check on people under 13 years of age. Since it is unlikely that a person who is 13 years old or younger would owe any child support, HB 821 would prohibit TPWD from requesting the Social Security information of this age group.  

We support HB 821 since it protects the privacy of young hunters by not requiring them needlessly to provide their Social Security number when seeking hunting and fishing license. In this day and age of identity theft being a common problem, the fewer opportunities a person is required to divulge personal information, the fewer opportunities for an identity thief to discover that information the better.