NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee legislators rejected a proposal from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to increase fees for specific hunting and fishing licenses. Instead, they pledged to establish a new revenue source for the agency utilizing an existing sales tax.

During a Joint Government Operations hearing last week, the TWRA requested lawmakers’ approval to raise fees for licenses and permits to enhance the agency’s funding.

The TWRA told lawmakers it has a $15 million deficit due to state-mandated salary increases and skyrocketing costs.

“Fish food has increased by 100%, gravel by 77%, crush and run by 27%; basic services such as waste collection have gone up 106%,” stated Blair Beaty with the TWRA.

Representatives with the agency told legislators if they don’t approve the licensing fee increase, they’ll face an additional $12 million deficit and will need to cut services and positions, starting with law enforcement.

“We can’t use that federal funding toward law enforcement, so it makes the most sense that’s the area we would cut, and unfortunately, that’s the area a lot of you are going to feel in your districts,” a TWRA representative said.

However, lawmakers were worried how raising licensing fees would impact their constituents and whether it would actually generate more money.

“We already know the numbers of licenses are decreasing. People are, for whatever reason, not buying them, and to raise the rate of those is going to further decrease the people who are able to afford them,” Sen. Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma) said.

“We all know that hunting is a hobby, it’s recreation, it’s therapy, and to a lot of people it’s food on the table and of course it helps our tourism,” Sen. Sara Kyle (D-Memphis) said. “My thought is, the uncertainty of today’s economy, a fee increase is just out of reach for families and citizens.” 

“I support TWRA 100%, but I cannot support a fee increase on this,” Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) said.

However, lawmakers promised to create a new revenue stream for the TWRA through a pre-existing sales tax.

“Let’s fix this. This isn’t a fix. This is a small, small band-aid on a flesh wound. This is not sustainable,” Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville said) of the fee hike. “We’ve got a great state, but we’ve got to give it energy… we need to pay for it.”

Sen. Southerland promised the TWRA he would carry a bill next legislative session to allow a portion of a TWRA-related sales tax to be returned to the agency to generate more money.

The TWRA called it a “long-term solution.”

“What you’re saying today is very pleasing to us, if this body were to pass something… All states in hunting and fishing are facing the same thing, but what works in other states is some portion of a tax,” the TWRA said. “The long-term solution is coming up with what this body is talking about. That’s going to be the long-term solution because all of our costs are going to continue to go up.” 

The TWRA withdrew its request to increase licensing and permit fees. However, a rule to increase boat registration fees was approved. The change is set to go into effect July 1.