Harrisburg – Jan. 13, 2015 – Hunters and outdoor-sports enthusiasts will soon be able to obtain a license plate for their vehicles honoring Pennsylvania’s hunting heritage, state Sen. Jim Brewster (D-
Allegheny/Westmoreland) said today.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will process applications for the Hunting Heritage plate. The application will be available through the Game Commission website and should be available for purchase in February.
“A new license plate honoring hunting as a sport in Pennsylvania was long overdue,” Brewster said. “I am excited that Pennsylvania hunters, sportsmen and women will soon be able to apply for a license plate that highlights our deep-rooted heritage.”
Brewster said that he initially introduced the measure following a discussion he had with his uncle Ron Maurer, a resident of Elizabeth Township who asked him about the potential for hunters to have their own license plate.
The lawmaker’s bill was initially introduced as Senate Bill 773. The measure was eventually incorporated into Senate Bill 1187 and was signed into law on July 2, 2014 as Act 109.
According to Brewster, the new law calls for the proceeds from the fee that is charged for the plate will go to food banks and non-profit organizations that promote hunting, youth hunting and the enhancement of game species.
Brewster credited lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in helping smooth the passage of the legislation. He thanked Sen. Richard Alloway (R-Franklin) and former Sen. Richard Kasunic (D-Fayette), who were last session’s Republican and Democratic chairs of the Senate’s game and fisheries committee, along with Sen. David Argall (R-Schuykill) for helping push the measure for a vote.
He also said that the plate would never have been created without the support of the Pennsylvania Game Commission President Robert W. Schlemmer, whose granddaughter helped PennDOT and the Game Commission with the design of the plate.
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