Legislation aimed at expanding access to free hunting licenses for disabled veterans in Pennsylvania has passed the state Senate. The bill, sponsored by Senator Chris Gebhard (R-48), seeks to address a gap in the current law that limits eligibility for free hunting licenses only to veterans who were injured during combat and deemed 100% disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Currently, partially disabled veterans can purchase discounted licenses, but those with service-connected injuries sustained outside of combat—such as during training or peacetime duties—are not eligible for any discount.
“This issue was brought to my attention by a constituent who served our nation honorably from 1979-88 and was denied eligibility based on this technicality,” Gebhard said. “After reviewing the law, we discovered the gap and drafted legislation to correct it.”
Senate Bill 1020 proposes that all veterans who are 100% disabled due to service-related injuries would qualify for a free hunting license, regardless of how or where their injury occurred. The provision for discounted licenses for partially disabled veterans would remain unchanged.
The Disabled American Veterans — Department of Pennsylvania supports the bill, noting its impact on improving support systems for veterans and their families. They described it as “strengthening Pennsylvania’s framework for serving veterans and improving coordination and accountability across programs that directly affect their well-being.”
“This legislation ensures that all disabled veterans receive the same recognition regardless of when or how they were injured while serving our country,” Gebhard stated. “If you sacrificed your health in uniform, you’ve earned these benefits. It’s a simple matter of fairness, and it’s the right thing to do for those who’ve given so much for Pennsylvania and our nation.”
The measure will now proceed to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
