Public Law 118–25: To amend the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 to allow States to issue fully electronic stamps under that Act, and for other purposes.
Public Law
25
Public Law 118–25
137 Stat. 129
2023-12-19
2023-12-19
United States Government Publishing Office
National Archives and Records Administration
Office of the Federal Register
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
GPO Locator to USLM Converter 4.15.31;Stage2.20250702
2026-01-02
118
public
PUBLIC LAW 118–25—DEC. 19, 2023
137 STAT. 129
Public Law
118–25
118th Congress

An Act
To amend the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 to allow States to issue fully electronic stamps under that Act, and for other purposes.
Dec. 19, 2023
[S. 788]
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa­tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023.
SECTION 1.
16 USC 718o note.

SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023”.
SEC. 2.

AUTHORIZING FULLY ELECTRONIC STAMPS.
(a)

In General.—
Section 5 of the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 (16 U.S.C. 718r) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in the subsection heading, by striking “Actual Stamp” and inserting “Electronic Stamp”;
(B)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “an actual stamp” and inserting “the electronic stamp”; and
(C)
by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
“(1)
on the date of purchase of the electronic stamp; and”
;
(2)
in subsection (c), by striking “actual stamps” and inserting “actual stamps under subsection (e)”;
(3)
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(4)
by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
“(e)

Delivery of Actual Stamps.—
The Secretary shall issue an actual stamp after March 10 of each year to each individual that purchased an electronic stamp for the preceding waterfowl season.”
.
(b)

Contents of Electronic Stamp.—
Section 2 of the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 (16 U.S.C. 718o) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking “Federal” and all that follows through “that is printed” and inserting “Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp required under the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act (16 U.S.C. 718a et seq.) that is printed”; and
(2)
in paragraph (3)—
(A)
in subparagraph (D), by striking “and” at the end;
(B)
in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
“(F)
may contain an image of the actual stamp.”
.137 STAT. 130
(c)

Stamp Valid Through Close of Hunting Season.—
Section 6 of the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 (16 U.S.C. 718s) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “shall, during the effective period of the electronic stamp—” and inserting “shall—”; and
(2)
in subsection (c), by striking “for a period agreed to by the State and the Secretary, which shall not exceed 45 days” and inserting “through the first June 30 that occurs after the date of issuance of the electronic stamp by the State”.
(d)

Electronic Stamps as Permit.—
Section 1(a)(1) of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act (16 U.S.C. 718a(a)(1)) is amended—
(1)
by inserting “as an electronic stamp (as defined in section 2 of the Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013 (16 U.S.C. 718o)) or” after “Conservation Stamp,”; and
(2)
by striking “face of the stamp” and inserting “face of the actual stamp (as defined in that section)”.
Approved
December 19, 2023
.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 788:

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 169 (2023):
July 27, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 11, 12, considered and passed House.
○