Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Senator Tyler Harper, Chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Georgia Youth Outdoors Passport Act, aimed at encouraging our youth to experience the abundance of rich outdoor resources and recreational opportunities unique to our state.

Specifically, the legislation:

• Establishes the Outdoor Passport License Program, which allows first-time Georgia hunters and anglers of all ages to receive an Outdoor Passport License – granting them the ability to fish and hunt many different types of game at a reduced cost during their first year participating in the program.

• Offers discounted licenses to those who complete the program and elect to purchase licenses for the next season.

• Creates an outdoor mentor training program at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), allowing Georgia hunters and anglers to teach our state’s celebrated past times to the next generation so they too can enjoy nature’s beauty.

• Provides mentors who participate in the program incentives to encourage more seasoned outdoorsmen/women to register. 

“It’s concerning that every year fewer Georgians are participating in hunting and fishing activities across our state. This reduces the resources we have available to protect and preserve Georgia’s natural habitat, making it harder to keep rangers in the field enforcing our safe hunting and fishing laws. This program will help create a pathway for new hunters and anglers to learn the sport and develop a lifetime of recreation that will teach them the importance of the natural world and help them put food on the table,” said Lt. Governor Cagle.

“Georgia is blessed with many rich outdoor traditions. It is important that we pass along these traditions to the next generation of outdoorsmen. We must be connected to our food supply and understand how the decisions we make impact our state’s natural resources. Promoting these sports through an experienced network will teach more Georgians both how to perform these activities and how to do them in a safe and respectful way,” Harper added. 

The Georgia Youth Outdoors Passport Act has been introduced in the State Senate where swift action is anticipated.