HARRISBURG, PA — Sens. Lisa Baker and Scott Hutchinson have introduced legislation to help more disabled veterans receive free hunting and fishing licenses.

Baker, who serves as chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, and Hutchinson, who serves as a member of that committee, acted as soon as they learned that many disabled veterans who are considered “unemployable” under a federal rating system are being denied free hunting and fishing licenses, a benefit accorded to 100%-disabled veterans under state law.

“Veterans who have served but who have been injured in combat face so many barriers,” Baker said. “Financial restraints—or confusion over eligibility—should never be a barrier for them as they endeavor to enjoy the great outdoors and apply for a benefit they have undoubtedly earned.”

Senate Bills 1090 and 1091 clarify that a veteran who is deemed to be 100%-disabled by the U.S. Veterans Administration due to unemployability will be able to receive a free hunting and fishing license in Pennsylvania.

“These bills are about honoring true American heroes who, in many cases, have lost their limbs, their mobility and their ability to work while serving our country,” Hutchinson said. “Extending this benefit is another way to honor those who have sacrificed so much to protect our homeland.”