Photo of hunting, fishing license OK under House proposal

Hunters and fishers may need to remember one less item when heading outdoors if they’re bringing along a phone.

Sponsored by Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL-Mpls), HF3376 would allow people to use a photo of their fishing or hunting license instead of a paper copy.

The House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee laid the bill over Wednesday for possible inclusion in a future bill.

The Department of Natural Resources is moving toward a more comprehensive online-only purchasing system. The practice for most enforcement officers in the meantime is to accept photos of licenses, but passage of the law would make this explicit.

Greenman said the proposal is just common sense, giving people confidence they can take a picture and leave the paper at home, she said.

Rep. Kristi Pursell (DFL-Northfield), who joined the ranks of Minnesota hunters since the committee last met, is all for digital licenses.

“The fewer barriers we have to people participating in our hunting and fishing the better,” she said.