SB2663 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 17791 SLF 32970 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB2663

Introduced 2/13/2018, by Sen. Chuck Weaver

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

520 ILCS 5/1.2v-1 new
520 ILCS 5/3.1	from Ch. 61, par. 3.1
520 ILCS 5/3.1-5
520 ILCS 5/3.1-9
520 ILCS 5/3.2	from Ch. 61, par. 3.2
520 ILCS 5/3.3	from Ch. 61, par. 3.3

Amends the Wildlife Code. Combines youth hunting and trapping licensing. Provides that the fee for a Youth Hunting and Trapping License is $7. Provides before any youth 18 shall take or attempt to take any species protected by the Code for which an open season is established, the youth shall first procure and possess a valid Youth Hunting and Trapping License. Provides that a Youth Hunting and Trapping License shall entitle the licensee to hunt or trap while supervised by an adult (rather than a parent, grandparent, or guardian) who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois hunting or trapping license. Provides that youth licensed shall not hunt or trap or carry a hunting or trapping device, including, but not limited to, a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow unless the youth is accompanied by and under the close personal supervision of an adult (rather than a parent, grandparent, or guardian) who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois hunting or trapping license. Provides that if a youth has a valid certificate of competency for hunting or trapping approved by the Department of Natural Resources, he or she is exempt from supervision requirements. Eliminates provision providing that before a trapping license shall be issued to any person under the age of sixteen years, the person shall obtain the written consent of his father, mother, or legally constituted guardian to obtain the license. Defines "youth". Makes conforming changes.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning wildlife.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Sections 3.1, 3.1-5, 3.1-9, 3.2, and 3.3 and by adding Section 1.2v-1 as follows:

(520 ILCS 5/1.2v-1 new)

Sec. 1.2v-1. Youth. "Youth" means a person under 18 years of age.

(520 ILCS 5/3.1) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.1)

Sec. 3.1. License and stamps required.

(a) Before any person shall take or attempt to take any of the species protected by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall first have procured and possess a valid hunting license, except as provided in Section 3.1-5 of this Code.

Before any person 18 16 years of age or older shall take or attempt to take any bird of the species defined as migratory waterfowl by Section 2.2, including coots, he shall first have procured a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp.

Before any person 18 16 years of age or older takes, attempts to take, or pursues any species of wildlife protected by this Code, except migratory waterfowl, coots, and hand-reared birds on licensed game breeding and hunting preserve areas and state controlled pheasant hunting areas, he or she shall first obtain a State Habitat Stamp. Veterans with disabilities and former prisoners of war shall not be required to obtain State Habitat Stamps. Any person who obtained a lifetime license before January 1, 1993, shall not be required to obtain State Habitat Stamps. Income from the sale of State Furbearer Stamps and State Pheasant Stamps received after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1992 shall be deposited into the State Furbearer Fund and State Pheasant Fund, respectively.

Before any person 18 16 years of age or older shall take, attempt to take, or sell the green hide of any mammal of the species defined as fur-bearing mammals by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall first have procured a State Habitat Stamp.

(b) Before any person who is a non-resident of the State of Illinois shall take or attempt to take any of the species protected by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall, unless specifically exempted by law, first procure a non-resident license as provided by this Act for the taking of any wild game.

Before a nonresident shall take or attempt to take white-tailed deer, he shall first have procured a Deer Hunting Permit as defined in Section 2.26 of this Code.

Before a nonresident shall take or attempt to take wild turkeys, he shall have procured a Wild Turkey Hunting Permit as defined in Section 2.11 of this Code.

(c) The owners residing on, or bona fide tenants of, farm lands and their children, parents, brothers, and sisters actually permanently residing on their lands shall have the right to hunt any of the species protected by Section 2.2 upon their lands and waters without procuring hunting licenses; but the hunting shall be done only during periods of time and with devices and by methods as are permitted by this Act. Any person on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States who is now and who was at the time of entering the Armed Forces a resident of Illinois and who entered the Armed Forces from this State, and who is presently on ordinary or emergency leave from the Armed Forces, and any resident of Illinois who has a disability may hunt any of the species protected by Section 2.2 without procuring a hunting license, but the hunting shall be done only during such periods of time and with devices and by methods as are permitted by this Act. For the purpose of this Section a person is a person with a disability when that person has a Type 1 or Type 4, Class 2 disability as defined in Section 4A of the Illinois Identification Card Act. For purposes of this Section, an Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card issued pursuant to the Illinois Identification Card Act indicating that the person named has a Type 1 or Type 4, Class 2 disability shall be adequate documentation of the disability.

(d) A courtesy non-resident license, permit, or stamp for taking game may be issued at the discretion of the Director, without fee, to any person officially employed in the game and fish or conservation department of another state or of the United States who is within the State to assist or consult or cooperate with the Director; or to the officials of other states, the United States, foreign countries, or officers or representatives of conservation organizations or publications while in the State as guests of the Governor or Director. The Director may provide to nonresident participants and official gunners at field trials an exemption from licensure while participating in a field trial.

(e) State Migratory Waterfowl Stamps shall be required for those persons qualifying under subsections (c) and (d) who intend to hunt migratory waterfowl, including coots, to the extent that hunting licenses of the various types are authorized and required by this Section for those persons.

(f) Registration in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program shall be required for those persons who are required to have a hunting license before taking or attempting to take any bird of the species defined as migratory game birds by Section 2.2, except that this subsection shall not apply to crows in this State or hand-reared birds on licensed game breeding and hunting preserve areas, for which an open season is established by this Act. Persons registering with the Program must carry proof of registration with them while migratory bird hunting.

The Department shall publish suitable prescribed regulations pertaining to registration by the migratory bird hunter in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(520 ILCS 5/3.1-5)

Sec. 3.1-5. Apprentice Hunter License Program.

(a) The Beginning 120 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, the Department shall establish an Apprentice Hunter License Program. The purpose of this Program shall be to extend limited hunting privileges, in lieu of obtaining a valid hunting license, to persons interested in learning about hunting sports.

(b) Any resident or nonresident may apply to the Department for an Apprentice Hunter License. The Apprentice Hunter License shall be a one-time, non-renewable license that shall expire on the March 31 following the date of issuance.

(c) The For persons aged 17 and under, the Apprentice Hunter License shall entitle the licensee to hunt while supervised by a validly licensed resident or nonresident parent, guardian, or grandparent. For persons 18 or older, the Apprentice Hunter License shall entitle the licensee to hunt while supervised by a validly licensed resident or nonresident hunter who is 21 years of age or older. Possession of an Apprentice Hunter License shall serve in lieu of a valid hunting license, but does not exempt the licensee from compliance with the requirements of this Code and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this Code.

(d) In order to be approved for the Apprentice Hunter License, the applicant must request an Apprentice Hunter License on a form designated and made available by the Department and submit a $7 fee, which shall be separate from and additional to any other stamp, permit, tag, or license fee that may be required for hunting under this Code. The Department shall adopt suitable administrative rules that are reasonable and necessary for the administration of the program, but shall not require any certificate of competency or other hunting education as a condition of the Apprentice Hunter License.

(Source: P.A. 95-739, eff. 7-17-08; 96-1213, eff. 7-22-10.)

(520 ILCS 5/3.1-9)

Sec. 3.1-9. Youth Hunting and Trapping License Licenses.

(a) Before any Any resident youth age under 18 years of age shall take or attempt to take any species protected by Section 2.2 of this Code for which an open season is established, he or she shall first procure and possess a valid Youth Hunting and Trapping License and under may apply to the Department for a Youth Hunting License, which extends limited hunting privileges. The Youth Hunting and Trapping License shall be a renewable license that shall expire on the March 31 following the date of issuance. The fee for a Youth Hunting and Trapping License is $7.

A For youth age 18 and under, the Youth Hunting and Trapping License shall entitle the licensee to hunt while supervised by an adult a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois hunting license. Possession of a Youth Hunting License shall serve in lieu of a valid hunting license, but does not exempt the licensee from compliance with the requirements of this Code and any rules adopted under this Code.

A youth licensed under this subsection (a) shall not hunt or carry a hunting device, including, but not limited to, a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow unless the youth is accompanied by and under the close personal supervision of an adult a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois hunting license.

At age 19 years or when the youth chooses to hunt by himself or herself, he or she is required to successfully complete a hunter safety course approved by the Department prior to being able to obtain a full hunting license and subsequently hunt by himself or herself.

In order to be approved for the Youth Hunting License, the applicant must request a Youth Hunting License from the Department and submit a $7 fee, which shall be separate from and additional to any other stamp, permit, tag, or license fee that may be required for hunting under this Code. The Department shall adopt rules for the administration of the program, but shall not require any certificate of competency or other hunting or trapping education as a condition of the Youth Hunting and Trapping License. If a youth has a valid certificate of competency for hunting from a hunter safety course approved by the Department, he or she is exempt from the supervision requirements for youth hunters in this Section.

(b) Any resident youth age 18 and under may apply to the Department for a Youth Trapping License, which extends limited trapping privileges. The Youth Trapping License shall be a renewable license that shall expire on the March 31 following the date of issuance.

A For youth age 18 and under, the Youth Hunting and Trapping License shall entitle the licensee to trap while supervised by an adult a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois trapping license. Possession of a Youth Trapping License shall serve in lieu of a valid trapping license, but does not exempt the licensee from compliance with the requirements of this Code and any rules adopted under this Code.

A youth licensed under this Section subsection (b) shall not trap or carry a hunting device, including, but not limited to, a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow unless the youth is accompanied by and under the close personal supervision of an adult a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois trapping license.

At age 19 years or when the youth chooses to trap by himself or herself, he or she is required to successfully complete a trapper safety course approved by the Department prior to being able to obtain a full trapping license and subsequently trap by himself or herself.

In order to be approved for the Youth Trapping License, the applicant must request a Youth Trapping License from the Department and submit a $7 fee, which shall be separate from and additional to any other stamp, permit, tag, or license fee that may be required for trapping under this Code. The Department shall adopt rules for the administration of the program, but shall not require any certificate of competency or other trapping education as a condition of the Youth Hunting and Trapping License. If a youth has a valid certificate of competency for trapping from a trapper safety course approved by the Department, then he or she is exempt from the supervision requirements for youth trappers in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 98-620, eff. 1-7-14; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-307, eff. 1-1-16; 99-868, eff. 1-1-17.)

(520 ILCS 5/3.2) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.2)

Sec. 3.2. Hunting license; application; instruction. Before the Department or any county, city, village, township, incorporated town clerk or his duly designated agent or any other person authorized or designated by the Department to issue hunting licenses shall issue a hunting license to any person, the person shall file his application with the Department or other party authorized to issue licenses on a form provided by the Department and further give definite proof of identity and place of legal residence. Each clerk designating agents to issue licenses and stamps shall furnish the Department, within 10 days following the appointment, the names and mailing addresses of the agents. Each clerk or his duly designated agent shall be authorized to sell licenses and stamps only within the territorial area for which he was elected or appointed. No duly designated agent is authorized to furnish licenses or stamps for issuance by any other business establishment. Each application shall be executed and sworn to and shall set forth the name and description of the applicant and place of residence.

No hunting license shall be issued to any person born on or after January 1, 1980 unless he presents the person authorized to issue the license evidence that he has held a hunting license issued by the State of Illinois or another state in a prior year, or a certificate of competency as provided in this Section. Persons under 18 16 years of age may be issued a Lifetime Hunting or Sportsmen's Combination License as provided under Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code but shall not be entitled to hunt alone, without the supervision of an adult age 21 or order, unless they have a certificate of competency as provided in this Section and they shall have the certificate is in their possession while hunting.

The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize personnel of the Department or certified volunteer instructors to conduct courses, of not less than 10 hours in length, in firearms and hunter safety, which may include training in bow and arrow safety, at regularly specified intervals throughout the State. Persons successfully completing the course shall receive a certificate of competency. The Department of Natural Resources may further cooperate with any reputable association or organization in establishing courses if the organization has as one of its objectives the promotion of safety in the handling of firearms or bow and arrow.

The Department of Natural Resources shall designate any person found by it to be competent to give instruction in the handling of firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. The persons so appointed shall give the course of instruction and upon the successful completion shall issue to the person instructed a certificate of competency in the safe handling of firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. No charge shall be made for any course of instruction except for materials or ammunition consumed. The Department of Natural Resources shall furnish information on the requirements of hunter safety education programs to be distributed free of charge to applicants for hunting licenses by the persons appointed and authorized to issue licenses. Funds for the conducting of firearms and hunter safety courses shall be taken from the fee charged for the Firearm Owners Identification Card.

The fee for a hunting license to hunt all species for a resident of Illinois is $12. For residents age 65 or older, and, commencing with the 2012 license year, resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a hunting license to hunt all species for a resident of Illinois. Veterans must provide to the Department, at one of the Department's 5 regional offices, verification of their service. The Department shall establish what constitutes suitable verification of service for the purpose of issuing resident veterans hunting licenses at a reduced fee. The fee for a hunting license to hunt all species shall be $1 for residents over 75 years of age. Nonresidents shall be charged $57 for a hunting license.

Nonresidents may be issued a nonresident hunting license for a period not to exceed 10 consecutive days' hunting in the State and shall be charged a fee of $35.

A special nonresident hunting license authorizing a nonresident to take game birds by hunting on a game breeding and hunting preserve area only, established under Section 3.27, shall be issued upon proper application being made and payment of a fee equal to that for a resident hunting license. The expiration date of this license shall be on the same date each year that game breeding and hunting preserve area licenses expire.

Each applicant for a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp, regardless of his residence or other condition, shall pay a fee of $15 and shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp shall be waived for residents over 75 years of age. Except as provided under Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp shall be signed by the person or affixed to his license or permit in a space designated by the Department for that purpose.

Each applicant for a State Habitat Stamp, regardless of his residence or other condition, shall pay a fee of $5 and shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State Habitat Stamp shall be waived for residents over 75 years of age. Except as provided under Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp shall be signed by the person or affixed to his license or permit in a space designated by the Department for that purpose.

Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to require the purchase of more than one State Habitat Stamp by any person in any one license year.

The fees for State Pheasant Stamps and State Furbearer Stamps shall be waived for residents over 75 years of age.

The Department shall furnish the holders of hunting licenses and stamps with an insignia as evidence of possession of license, or license and stamp, as the Department may consider advisable. The insignia shall be exhibited and used as the Department may order.

All other hunting licenses and all State stamps shall expire upon March 31 of each year.

Every person holding any license, permit, or stamp issued under the provisions of this Act shall have it in his possession for immediate presentation for inspection to the officers and authorized employees of the Department, any sheriff, deputy sheriff, or any other peace officer making a demand for it. This provision shall not apply to Department owned or managed sites where it is required that all hunters deposit their license, permit, or Firearm Owner's Identification Card at the check station upon entering the hunting areas.

(Source: P.A. 97-498, eff. 4-1-12; 98-800, eff. 8-1-14.)

(520 ILCS 5/3.3) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.3)

Sec. 3.3. Trapping license required. Before any person shall trap any of the mammals protected by this Act, for which an open trapping season has been established, he shall first procure a trapping license from the Department to do so. No traps shall be placed in the field, set or unset, prior to the opening day of the trapping season.

Traps used in the taking of such mammals shall be marked or tagged with metal tags or inscribed in lettering giving the name and address of the owner, and absence of such mark or tag shall be prima facie evidence that such trap or traps are illegally used and the trap or traps shall be confiscated and disposed of as directed by the Department.

Before any person 18 16 years of age or older shall trap, attempt to trap, or sell the green hides of any mammal of the species defined as fur-bearing mammals by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall first have procured a State Habitat Stamp.

Before a trapping license shall be issued to any person under the age of sixteen years, such person shall obtain the written consent of his father, mother or legally constituted guardian to obtain such license.

Beginning January 1, 2016, no trapping license shall be issued to any person born on or after January 1, 1998 unless he or she presents to the authorized issuer of the license evidence that he or she has a certificate of competency provided for in this Section.

The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize personnel of the Department, or volunteer instructors, found by the Department to be competent, to provide instruction in courses on trapping techniques and ethical trapping behavior as needed throughout the State, which courses shall be at least 8 hours in length. Persons so authorized shall provide instruction in such courses to individuals at no charge, and shall issue to individuals successfully completing such courses certificates of competency in basic trapping techniques. The Department shall cooperate in establishing such courses with any reputable association or organization which has as one of its objectives the promotion of the ethical use of legal fur harvesting devices and techniques. The Department shall furnish information on the requirements of the trapper education program to be distributed free of charge to applicants for trapping licenses by the persons appointed and authorized to issue licenses.

The owners residing on, or bona fide tenants of farm lands, and their children actually residing on such lands, shall have the right to trap mammals protected by this Act, for which an open trapping season has been established, upon such lands, without procuring licenses, provided that such mammals are taken during the periods of time and with such devices as are permitted by this Act.

(Source: P.A. 98-913, eff. 1-1-15; 99-868, eff. 1-1-17.)