The Recreational Fishing Alliance reports the New York Senate passed bill S6250, by Sen. Brien X. Foley, that would overturn the state saltwater license imposed this year as part of Governor Patterson's budget. The vote was 60-1 with one abstention. The companion bill, A09234, is still tied up in the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.

Foley noted that the funds collected aren't going into marine conservation, as had been planned, and that anglers shouldn't be burdened with a license at this time just in order to comply with the federal requirerment for regislation. His bill sets up a system to provide that information without charging anglers.