The goal of the sportsmens groups was to get the fee rollback done as soon as possible to create a positive effect as for as many license buyers and users as we could. That is what drove the fees legislation. The earlier the better. December would have been perfect but the legislature is not in session. To suggest that the state was clever enough to optimize both ends of the buying spectrum is giving them too much credit. No one was giving them that kind of latitude, this fees reduction work went as fast as it could with all of the revisions, committee discussion, House vote, Senate vote, etc. Remember, they would have done nothing if they hadn't been pushed into this by the sportsmens groups.
All of the license info is in the state's computer systems, processing a credit on account, which is easier than cutting checks for a rebate, is not rocket science and does not affect this year's budget. Therefore, it can be taken into account for the 2011 budget with an offset. Whether they will take that next step is unknown, I have not seen any kind of discussion on that topic from the state or in articles. But it could be a new initiative if enough are so motivated.