HB5799ham001 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Agriculture & Conservation Committee

Filed: 3/9/2010

09600HB5799ham001 LRB096 19043 JDS 38275 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5799

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5799 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Sections 2.33 and 3.5 as follows:

(520 ILCS 5/2.33) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.33)

Sec. 2.33. Prohibitions.

(a) It is unlawful to carry or possess any gun in any State refuge unless otherwise permitted by administrative rule.

(b) It is unlawful to use or possess any snare or snare-like device, deadfall, net, or pit trap to take any species, except that snares not powered by springs or other mechanical devices may be used to trap fur-bearing mammals, in water sets only, if at least one-half of the snare noose is located underwater at all times.

(c) It is unlawful for any person at any time to take a wild mammal protected by this Act from its den by means of any mechanical device, spade, or digging device or to use smoke or other gases to dislodge or remove such mammal except as provided in Section 2.37.

(d) It is unlawful to use a ferret or any other small mammal which is used in the same or similar manner for which ferrets are used for the purpose of frightening or driving any mammals from their dens or hiding places.

(e) (Blank).

(f) It is unlawful to use spears, gigs, hooks or any like device to take any species protected by this Act.

(g) It is unlawful to use poisons, chemicals or explosives for the purpose of taking any species protected by this Act.

(h) It is unlawful to hunt adjacent to or near any peat, grass, brush or other inflammable substance when it is burning.

(i) It is unlawful to take, pursue or intentionally harass or disturb in any manner any wild birds or mammals by use or aid of any vehicle or conveyance, except as permitted by the Code of Federal Regulations for the taking of waterfowl. It is also unlawful to use the lights of any vehicle or conveyance or any light from or any light connected to the vehicle or conveyance in any area where wildlife may be found except in accordance with Section 2.37 of this Act; however, nothing in this Section shall prohibit the normal use of headlamps for the purpose of driving upon a roadway. Striped skunk, opossum, red fox, gray fox, raccoon and coyote may be taken during the open season by use of a small light which is worn on the body or hand-held by a person on foot and not in any vehicle.

(j) It is unlawful to use any shotgun larger than 10 gauge while taking or attempting to take any of the species protected by this Act.

(k) It is unlawful to use or possess in the field any shotgun shell loaded with a shot size larger than lead BB or steel T (.20 diameter) when taking or attempting to take any species of wild game mammals (excluding white-tailed deer), wild game birds, migratory waterfowl or migratory game birds protected by this Act, except white-tailed deer as provided for in Section 2.26 and other species as provided for by subsection (l) or administrative rule.

(l) It is unlawful to take any species of wild game, except white-tailed deer, with a shotgun loaded with slugs unless otherwise provided for by administrative rule.

(m) It is unlawful to use any shotgun capable of holding more than 3 shells in the magazine or chamber combined, except on game breeding and hunting preserve areas licensed under Section 3.27 and except as permitted by the Code of Federal Regulations for the taking of waterfowl. If the shotgun is capable of holding more than 3 shells, it shall, while being used on an area other than a game breeding and shooting preserve area licensed pursuant to Section 3.27, be fitted with a one piece plug that is irremovable without dismantling the shotgun or otherwise altered to render it incapable of holding more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber, combined.

(n) It is unlawful for any person, except persons who possess a permit to hunt from a vehicle as provided in this Section and persons otherwise permitted by law, to have or carry any gun in or on any vehicle, conveyance or aircraft, unless such gun is unloaded and enclosed in a case, except that at field trials authorized by Section 2.34 of this Act, unloaded guns or guns loaded with blank cartridges only, may be carried on horseback while not contained in a case, or to have or carry any bow or arrow device in or on any vehicle unless such bow or arrow device is unstrung or enclosed in a case, or otherwise made inoperable.

(o) It is unlawful to use any crossbow for the purpose of taking any wild birds or mammals, except as provided for in Section 2.33.

(p) It is unlawful to take game birds, migratory game birds or migratory waterfowl with a rifle, pistol, revolver or airgun.

(q) It is unlawful to fire a rifle, pistol, revolver or airgun on, over or into any waters of this State, including frozen waters.

(r) It is unlawful to discharge any gun or bow and arrow device along, upon, across, or from any public right-of-way or highway in this State.

(s) It is unlawful to use a silencer or other device to muffle or mute the sound of the explosion or report resulting from the firing of any gun.

(t) It is unlawful for any person to trap or hunt, or intentionally or wantonly allow a dog to hunt, within or upon the land of another, or upon waters flowing over or standing on the land of another, without first obtaining permission from the owner or tenant. It shall be prima facie evidence that a person does not have permission of the owner or tenant if the person is unable to demonstrate to the law enforcement officer in the field that permission had been obtained. This provision may only be rebutted by testimony of the owner or tenant that permission had been given. Before enforcing this Section the law enforcement officer must have received notice from the owner or tenant of a violation of this Section. Statements made to the law enforcement officer regarding this notice shall not be rendered inadmissible by the hearsay rule when offered for the purpose of showing the required notice.

(t-5) It is unlawful for any person to trap within or upon the land of another, or upon waters flowing over or standing on the land of another, without first obtaining permission from the owner or tenant. It shall be prima facie evidence that a person does not have permission of the owner or tenant if the person was unable to demonstrate to the law enforcement officer in the field that permission had been obtained. This provision may only be rebutted by testimony of the owner or tenant that permission had been given. Before enforcing this subsection, the law enforcement officer must have received notice from the owner or tenant of a violation of this subsection. Statements made to the law enforcement officer regarding this notice shall not be rendered inadmissible by the hearsay rule when offered for the purpose of showing the required notice.

(u) It is unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm for the purpose of taking any of the species protected by this Act, or hunt with gun or dog, or intentionally or wantonly allow a dog to hunt, within 300 yards of an inhabited dwelling without first obtaining permission from the owner or tenant, except that, while trapping, hunting with bow and arrow, hunting with dog and shotgun using shot shells only, or hunting with shotgun using shot shells only, or on licensed game breeding and hunting preserve areas, as defined in Section 3.27, on property operated under a Migratory Waterfowl Hunting Area Permit, on federally owned and managed lands, and on Department owned, managed, leased, or controlled lands, a 100-yard restriction shall apply.

(u-5) It is unlawful for any person to trap within 100 yards of an inhabited dwelling without first obtaining permission from the owner or tenant.

(v) It is unlawful for any person to remove fur-bearing mammals from, or to move or disturb in any manner, the traps owned by another person without written authorization of the owner to do so.

(w) It is unlawful for any owner of a dog to knowingly or wantonly allow his or her dog to pursue, harass or kill deer, except that nothing in this Section shall prohibit the tracking of wounded deer with a dog in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.26 of this Code.

(x) It is unlawful for any person to wantonly or carelessly injure or destroy, in any manner whatsoever, any real or personal property on the land of another while engaged in hunting or trapping thereon.

(y) It is unlawful to hunt wild game protected by this Act between one half hour after sunset and one half hour before sunrise, except that hunting hours between one half hour after sunset and one half hour before sunrise may be established by administrative rule for fur-bearing mammals.

(z) It is unlawful to take any game bird (excluding wild turkeys and crippled pheasants not capable of normal flight and otherwise irretrievable) protected by this Act when not flying. Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a person from carrying an uncased, unloaded shotgun in a boat, while in pursuit of a crippled migratory waterfowl that is incapable of normal flight, for the purpose of attempting to reduce the migratory waterfowl to possession, provided that the attempt is made immediately upon downing the migratory waterfowl and is done within 400 yards of the blind from which the migratory waterfowl was downed. This exception shall apply only to migratory game birds that are not capable of normal flight. Migratory waterfowl that are crippled may be taken only with a shotgun as regulated by subsection (j) of this Section using shotgun shells as regulated in subsection (k) of this Section.

(aa) It is unlawful to use or possess any device that may be used for tree climbing or cutting, while hunting fur-bearing mammals, excluding coyotes.

(bb) It is unlawful for any person, except licensed game breeders, pursuant to Section 2.29 to import, carry into, or possess alive in this State any species of wildlife taken outside of this State, without obtaining permission to do so from the Director.

(cc) It is unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession any freshly killed species protected by this Act during the season closed for taking.

(dd) It is unlawful to take any species protected by this Act and retain it alive except as provided by administrative rule.

(ee) It is unlawful to possess any rifle while in the field during gun deer season except as provided in Section 2.26 and administrative rules.

(ff) It is unlawful for any person to take any species protected by this Act, except migratory waterfowl, during the gun deer hunting season in those counties open to gun deer hunting, unless he or she wears, when in the field, a cap and upper outer garment of a solid blaze orange color, with such articles of clothing displaying a minimum of 400 square inches of blaze orange material.

(gg) It is unlawful during the upland game season for any person to take upland game with a firearm unless he or she wears, while in the field, a cap of solid blaze orange color. For purposes of this Act, upland game is defined as Bobwhite Quail, Hungarian Partridge, Ring-necked Pheasant, Eastern Cottontail and Swamp Rabbit.

(hh) It shall be unlawful to kill or cripple any species protected by this Act for which there is a daily bag limit without making a reasonable effort to retrieve such species and include such in the daily bag limit.

(ii) This Section shall apply only to those species protected by this Act taken within the State. Any species or any parts thereof, legally taken in and transported from other states or countries, may be possessed within the State, except as provided in this Section and Sections 2.35, 2.36 and 3.21.

(jj) Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the use of bow and arrow, prohibit the use of a crossbow by persons age 62 or older, or prevent the Director from issuing permits to use a crossbow to handicapped persons as provided by administrative rule. As used herein, "handicapped persons" means those persons who have a permanent physical impairment due to injury or disease, congenital or acquired, which renders them so severely disabled as to be unable to use a conventional bow and arrow device. Permits will be issued only after the receipt of a physician's statement confirming the applicant is handicapped as defined above.

(kk) Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the Director from issuing permits to paraplegics or to other disabled persons who meet the requirements set forth in administrative rule to shoot or hunt from a vehicle as provided by that rule, provided that such is otherwise in accord with this Act.

(ll) Nothing contained in this Act shall prohibit the taking of aquatic life protected by the Fish and Aquatic Life Code or birds and mammals protected by this Act, except deer and fur-bearing mammals, from a boat not camouflaged or disguised to alter its identity or to further provide a place of concealment and not propelled by sail or mechanical power. However, only shotguns not larger than 10 gauge nor smaller than .410 bore loaded with not more than 3 shells of a shot size no larger than lead BB or steel T (.20 diameter) may be used to take species protected by this Act.

(mm) Nothing contained in this Act shall prohibit the use of a shotgun, not larger than 10 gauge nor smaller than a 20 gauge, with a rifled barrel.

(Source: P.A. 95-196, eff. 1-1-08; 95-329, eff. 8-21-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08; 96-390, eff. 8-13-09.)

(520 ILCS 5/3.5) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.5)

Sec. 3.5. Penalties; probation.

(a) Any person who violates any of the provisions of Section 2.36a, including administrative rules, shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony, except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Section and subsection (a) of Section 2.36a.

(b) Whenever any person who has not previously been convicted of, or placed on probation or court supervision for, any offense under Section 1.22, 2.36, or 2.36a or subsection (i) or (cc) of Section 2.33, the court may, without entering a judgment and with the person's consent, sentence the person to probation for a violation of Section 2.36a.

(1) When a person is placed on probation, the court shall enter an order specifying a period of probation of 24 months and shall defer further proceedings in the case until the conclusion of the period or until the filing of a petition alleging violation of a term or condition of probation.

(2) The conditions of probation shall be that the person:

(A) Not violate any criminal statute of any jurisdiction.

(B) Perform no less than 30 hours of community service, provided community service is available in the jurisdiction and is funded and approved by the county board.

(3) The court may, in addition to other conditions:

(A) Require that the person make a report to and appear in person before or participate with the court or courts, person, or social service agency as directed by the court in the order of probation.

(B) Require that the person pay a fine and costs.

(C) Require that the person refrain from possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon.

(D) Prohibit the person from associating with any person who is actively engaged in any of the activities regulated by the permits issued or privileges granted by the Department of Natural Resources.

(4) Upon violation of a term or condition of probation, the court may enter a judgment on its original finding of guilt and proceed as otherwise provided.

(5) Upon fulfillment of the terms and conditions of probation, the court shall discharge the person and dismiss the proceedings against the person.

(6) A disposition of probation is considered to be a conviction for the purposes of imposing the conditions of probation, for appeal, and for administrative revocation and suspension of licenses and privileges; however, discharge and dismissal under this Section is not a conviction for purposes of disqualification or disabilities imposed by law upon conviction of a crime.

(7) Discharge and dismissal under this Section may occur only once with respect to any person.

(8) If a person is convicted of an offense under this Act within 5 years subsequent to a discharge and dismissal under this Section, the discharge and dismissal under this Section shall be admissible in the sentencing proceeding for that conviction as a factor in aggravation.

(9) The Circuit Clerk shall notify the Department of State Police of all persons convicted of or placed under probation for violations of Section 2.36a.

(c) Any person who violates any of the provisions of Sections 2.9, 2.11, 2.16, 2.18, 2.24, 2.25, 2.26, 2.29, 2.30, 2.31 (except while trapping), 2.32, 2.33 (except subsections (g), (i), (o), (p), (t-5), (u-5), (y), and (cc)), 2.33-1, 2.33a, 3.3, 3.4, 3.11 through 3.16, 3.19, 3.20, 3.21 (except subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (f.5), (g), (h), and (i)), 3.24, 3.25, and 3.26 (except subsection (f)), including administrative rules, shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

A person who violates Section 2.33b by using any computer software or service to remotely control a weapon that takes wildlife by remote operation is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. A person who violates Section 2.33b by facilitating a violation of Section 2.33b, including an owner of land in which remote control hunting occurs, a computer programmer who designs a program or software to facilitate remote control hunting, or a person who provides weapons or equipment to facilitate remote control hunting, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of Sections 1.22, 2.4, 2.36 and 2.38, including administrative rules, shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Any second or subsequent violations of Sections 2.4 and 2.36 shall be a Class 4 felony.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of this Act, including administrative rules, during such period when his license, privileges, or permit is revoked or denied by virtue of Section 3.36, shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Any person who violates subsection (g), (i), (o), (p), (y), or (cc) of Section 2.33 shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and subject to a fine of no less than $500 and no more than $5,000 in addition to other statutory penalties. In addition, the Department shall suspend the privileges, under this Act, of any person found guilty of violating Section 2.33(cc) for a period of not less than one year.

Any person who violates Section 2.31 while trapping or subsection (t-5) or (u-5) of Section 2.33 shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Any person who violates Section 2.31 while trapping or subsection (t-5) or (u-5) of Section 2.33 and who, during the commission of that offense, also kills or injures a pet, sporting, or working dog shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor for which a fine of at least $150 must be imposed.

Any person who violates any other of the provisions of this Act including administrative rules, unless otherwise stated, shall be guilty of a petty offense. Offenses committed by minors under the direct control or with the consent of a parent or guardian may subject the parent or guardian to the penalties prescribed in this Section.

In addition to any fines imposed pursuant to the provisions of this Section or as otherwise provided in this Act, any person found guilty of unlawfully taking or possessing any species protected by this Act, shall be assessed a civil penalty for such species in accordance with the values prescribed in Section 2.36a of this Act. This civil penalty shall be imposed by the Circuit Court for the county within which the offense was committed at the time of the conviction. All penalties provided for in this Section shall be remitted to the Department in accordance with the same provisions provided for in Section 1.18 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 94-222, eff. 7-14-05; 95-13, eff. 1-1-08; 95-196, eff. 1-1-08; 95-283, eff. 8-20-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".