Post Falls veteran questions requirements for cheap licenses

Many disabled veterans in Idaho get hunting and fishing licenses for next to nothing, but they have to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as having 40 percent or more disability.

Kinzo Mihara, a 35-year-old Post Falls resident who has been recognized as having a 30 percent disability from his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, is asking Idaho lawmakers to change the law so soldiers like him can get the discount too.

"Why do you have to be hurt so bad to be able to take advantage of the program," Mihara said Friday. "I didn't give enough flesh and blood serving my country?"

Mihara served from 1996 to 2000, and was honorably discharged. He was recalled for more service from 2003 to 2004 to support the U.S. war on terrorism, then was again honorably discharged.

Among others, Mihara contacted state Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls.

Henderson told Mihara that Idaho has 7,053 veterans with 40 percent or more VA-recognized disability.

The number of "no fee" combination hunting-fishing licenses issued to this group of veterans in 2012 was 3,064. The number of fishing only licenses was 236, elk tags was 840, deer tags was 1,269, bear tags was 338 and turkey tags was 197, according to Henderson.

The number of Idaho veterans with 30 percent VA disability is 1,981.

"These would add about 800 more free licenses," Henderson wrote in an email to Mihara. "The 800 additional free licenses will be a loss of $7,000 to $9,000 annually" to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

"It's not like you're going to bankrupt the state over this thing," Mihara said. "It's actually something that makes a difference in people's lives."

On Friday, Henderson said, "I have not found any enthusiasm among other legislators to lower the eligibility percentage."

Henderson said Mihara needs to demonstrate there is wider public interest in lowering the eligibility percentage beyond his personal interest.

Henderson said a petition would likely need hundreds of signatures to motivate legislators.

"We're basically out of time in this current legislative session," Henderson said. "It's not impossible. But at this point we're so busy on things that have been more developed."