Full Text of SB2900 103rd General Assembly
SB2900 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024 SB2900 Introduced 1/26/2024, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: | | 515 ILCS 5/20-45 | from Ch. 56, par. 20-45 | 520 ILCS 5/3.2 | from Ch. 61, par. 3.2 |
| Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Provides that, for a resident who is serving in the Illinois National Guard, the 1-year fishing license fees are one-half of the ordinarily applicable 1-year fishing license fees beginning in license year 2025. Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, for a resident who is serving in the Illinois National Guard, the 1-year hunting license fees are one-half of the ordinarily applicable 1-year hunting license fees beginning in license year 2025. Effective immediately. |
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| | A BILL FOR |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning wildlife. | 2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | 3 | | represented in the General Assembly: | 4 | | Section 5. The Fish and Aquatic Life Code is amended by | 5 | | changing Section 20-45 as follows: | 6 | | (515 ILCS 5/20-45) (from Ch. 56, par. 20-45) | 7 | | Sec. 20-45. License fees for residents. Fees for licenses | 8 | | for residents of the State of Illinois shall be as follows: | 9 | | (a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, for | 10 | | sport fishing devices as defined in Section 10-95 or | 11 | | spearing devices as defined in Section 10-110, the fee is | 12 | | $14.50 for individuals 16 to 64 years old, one-half of the | 13 | | current fishing license fee for individuals age 65 or | 14 | | older, and, commencing with the 2012 license year, | 15 | | one-half of the current fishing license fee for resident | 16 | | veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning | 17 | | from service abroad or mobilization by the President of | 18 | | the United States as an active duty member of the United | 19 | | States Armed Forces, the Illinois National Guard, or the | 20 | | Reserves of the United States Armed Forces , and, | 21 | | commencing, with the 2025 license year, one-half of the | 22 | | current fishing license fee for residents serving in the | 23 | | Illinois National Guard . Residents serving in the Illinois |
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| 1 | | National Guard and veterans Veterans must provide to the | 2 | | Department acceptable verification of their service. The | 3 | | Department shall establish by administrative rule the | 4 | | procedure by which such verification of service shall be | 5 | | made to the Department for the purpose of issuing fishing | 6 | | licenses to resident veterans at a reduced fee. | 7 | | (a-3) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, | 8 | | for sport fishing devices as defined in Section 10-95 or | 9 | | spearing devices as defined in Section 10-110, residents | 10 | | of this State may obtain a 3-year fishing license. The fee | 11 | | for a 3-year fishing license is 3 times the annual fee. For | 12 | | residents age 65 or older, the fee is one half of the fee | 13 | | charged for a 3-year fishing license. For resident | 14 | | veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning | 15 | | from service abroad or mobilization by the President of | 16 | | the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged | 17 | | for a 3-year fishing license. Veterans must provide to the | 18 | | Department, per administrative rule, verification of their | 19 | | service. The Department shall establish what constitutes | 20 | | suitable verification of service for the purpose of | 21 | | issuing 3-year fishing licenses to resident veterans at a | 22 | | reduced fee. | 23 | | (a-5) The fee for all sport fishing licenses shall be | 24 | | $1 for an annual license and 3 times the annual fee for a | 25 | | 3-year license for residents over 75 years of age. | 26 | | (b) All residents before using any commercial fishing |
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| 1 | | device shall obtain a commercial fishing license, the fee | 2 | | for which shall be $60 and a resident fishing license, the | 3 | | fee for which is $14.50. Each and every commercial device | 4 | | used shall be licensed by a resident commercial fisherman | 5 | | as follows: | 6 | | (1) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction | 7 | | thereof, of seine the fee is $18. For each minnow | 8 | | seine, minnow trap, or net for commercial purposes the | 9 | | fee is $20. | 10 | | (2) For each device to fish with a 100 hook trot | 11 | | line device, basket trap, hoop net, or dip net the fee | 12 | | is $3. | 13 | | (3) When used in the waters of Lake Michigan, for | 14 | | the first 2000 lineal feet, or fraction thereof, of | 15 | | gill net the fee is $10; and for each 1000 additional | 16 | | lineal feet, or fraction thereof, the fee is $10. | 17 | | These fees shall apply to all gill nets in use in the | 18 | | water or on drying reels on the shore. | 19 | | (4) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction | 20 | | thereof, of gill net or trammel net the fee is $18. | 21 | | (c) Residents of this State may obtain a sportsmen's | 22 | | combination license that shall entitle the holder to the | 23 | | same non-commercial fishing privileges as residents | 24 | | holding a license as described in subsection (a) of this | 25 | | Section and to the same hunting privileges as residents | 26 | | holding a license to hunt all species as described in |
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| 1 | | Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No sportsmen's | 2 | | combination license shall be issued to any individual who | 3 | | would be ineligible for either the fishing or hunting | 4 | | license separately. The sportsmen's combination license | 5 | | fee shall be $25.50. For residents age 65 or older, the fee | 6 | | is one-half of the fee charged for a sportsmen's | 7 | | combination license. For resident veterans of the United | 8 | | States Armed Forces after returning from service abroad or | 9 | | mobilization by the President of the United States as an | 10 | | active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the | 11 | | Illinois National Guard, or the Reserves of the United | 12 | | States Armed Forces, the fee, commencing with the 2012 | 13 | | license year, is one-half of the fee charged for a | 14 | | sportsmen's combination license. Veterans must provide to | 15 | | the Department acceptable verification of their service. | 16 | | The Department shall establish by administrative rule the | 17 | | procedure by which such verification of service shall be | 18 | | made to the Department for the purpose of issuing | 19 | | sportsmen's combination licenses to resident veterans at a | 20 | | reduced fee. | 21 | | (c-5) Residents of this State may obtain a 3-year | 22 | | sportsmen's combination license that shall entitle the | 23 | | holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as | 24 | | residents holding a license as described in subsection | 25 | | (a-3) and to the same hunting privileges as residents | 26 | | holding a license to hunt all species as described in |
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| 1 | | Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. A 3-year sportsmen's | 2 | | combination license shall not be issued to any individual | 3 | | who would be ineligible for either the fishing or hunting | 4 | | license separately. The 3-year sportsmen's combination | 5 | | license fee shall be 3 times the annual fee. For residents | 6 | | age 65 or older, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for | 7 | | a 3-year sportsmen's combination license. For resident | 8 | | veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning | 9 | | from service abroad or mobilization by the President of | 10 | | the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged | 11 | | for a 3-year sportsmen's combination license. Veterans | 12 | | must provide to the Department, per administrative rule, | 13 | | verification of their service. The Department shall | 14 | | establish what constitutes suitable verification of | 15 | | service for the purpose of issuing 3-year sportsmen's | 16 | | combination licenses to resident veterans at a reduced | 17 | | fee. | 18 | | (d) For 24 hours of fishing by sport fishing devices | 19 | | as defined in Section 10-95 or by spearing devices as | 20 | | defined in Section 10-110 the fee is $5. This license does | 21 | | not exempt the licensee from the requirement for a salmon | 22 | | or inland trout stamp. The licenses provided for by this | 23 | | subsection are not required for residents of the State of | 24 | | Illinois who have obtained the license provided for in | 25 | | subsection (a) or (a-3) of this Section. | 26 | | (e) All residents before using any commercial mussel |
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| 1 | | device shall obtain a commercial mussel license, the fee | 2 | | for which shall be $50. | 3 | | (f) Residents of this State, upon establishing | 4 | | residency as required by the Department, may obtain a | 5 | | lifetime hunting or fishing license or lifetime | 6 | | sportsmen's combination license which shall entitle the | 7 | | holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as | 8 | | residents holding a license as described in paragraph (a) | 9 | | of this Section and to the same hunting privileges as | 10 | | residents holding a license to hunt all species as | 11 | | described in Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No lifetime | 12 | | sportsmen's combination license shall be issued to or | 13 | | retained by any individual who would be ineligible for | 14 | | either the fishing or hunting license separately, either | 15 | | upon issuance, or in any year a violation would subject an | 16 | | individual to have either or both fishing or hunting | 17 | | privileges rescinded. The lifetime hunting and fishing | 18 | | license fees shall be as follows: | 19 | | (1) Lifetime fishing: 30 x the current fishing | 20 | | license fee. | 21 | | (2) Lifetime hunting: 30 x the current hunting | 22 | | license fee. | 23 | | (3) Lifetime sportsmen's combination license: 30 x | 24 | | the current sportsmen's combination license fee. | 25 | | Lifetime licenses shall not be refundable. A $10 fee shall | 26 | | be charged for reissuing any lifetime license. The Department |
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| 1 | | may establish rules and regulations for the issuance and use | 2 | | of lifetime licenses and may suspend or revoke any lifetime | 3 | | license issued under this Section for violations of those | 4 | | rules or regulations or other provisions under this Code or | 5 | | the Wildlife Code, or a violation of the United States Code | 6 | | that involves the taking, possessing, killing, harvesting, | 7 | | transportation, selling, exporting, or importing any fish or | 8 | | aquatic life protected by this Code or the taking, possessing, | 9 | | killing, harvesting, transportation, selling, exporting, or | 10 | | importing any fauna protected by the Wildlife Code when any | 11 | | part of the United States Code violation occurred in Illinois. | 12 | | Individuals under 16 years of age who possess a lifetime | 13 | | hunting or sportsmen's combination license shall have in their | 14 | | possession, while in the field, a certificate of competency as | 15 | | required under Section 3.2 of the Wildlife Code. Any lifetime | 16 | | license issued under this Section shall not exempt individuals | 17 | | from obtaining additional stamps or permits required under the | 18 | | provisions of this Code or the Wildlife Code. Individuals | 19 | | required to purchase additional stamps shall sign the stamps | 20 | | and have them in their possession while fishing or hunting | 21 | | with a lifetime license. All fees received from the issuance | 22 | | of lifetime licenses shall be deposited in the Fish and | 23 | | Wildlife Endowment Fund. | 24 | | Except for licenses issued under subsection (e) of this | 25 | | Section, all licenses provided for in this Section shall | 26 | | expire on March 31 of each year, except that the license |
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| 1 | | provided for in subsection (d) of this Section shall expire 24 | 2 | | hours after the effective date and time listed on the face of | 3 | | the license. Licenses issued under subsection (a-3) or (c-5) | 4 | | shall expire on March 31 of the 2nd year after the year in | 5 | | which the license is issued. | 6 | | The Department shall by administrative rule provide for | 7 | | the automatic renewal of a fishing license upon the request of | 8 | | the applicant. | 9 | | All individuals required to have and failing to have the | 10 | | license provided for in subsection (a), (a-3), or (d) of this | 11 | | Section shall be fined according to the provisions of Section | 12 | | 20-35 of this Code. | 13 | | All individuals required to have and failing to have the | 14 | | licenses provided for in subsections (b) and (e) of this | 15 | | Section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. | 16 | | (g) For the purposes of this Section, "acceptable | 17 | | verification" means , for veterans, official documentation from | 18 | | the Department of Defense or the appropriate Major Command | 19 | | showing mobilization dates or service abroad dates, including: | 20 | | (i) a DD-214, (ii) a letter from the Illinois Department of | 21 | | Military Affairs for members of the Illinois National Guard, | 22 | | (iii) a letter from the Regional Reserve Command for members | 23 | | of the Armed Forces Reserve, (iv) a letter from the Major | 24 | | Command covering Illinois for active duty members, (v) | 25 | | personnel records for mobilized State employees, and (vi) any | 26 | | other documentation that the Department, by administrative |
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| 1 | | rule, deems acceptable to establish dates of mobilization or | 2 | | service abroad. For residents serving in the Illinois National | 3 | | Guard, "acceptable verification" means any documentation that | 4 | | the Department, by administrative rule, deems acceptable to | 5 | | establish that the resident is serving in the Illinois | 6 | | National Guard. | 7 | | For the purposes of this Section, the term "service | 8 | | abroad" means active duty service outside of the 50 United | 9 | | States and the District of Columbia, and includes all active | 10 | | duty service in territories and possessions of the United | 11 | | States. | 12 | | (Source: P.A. 102-780, eff. 5-13-22; 102-837, eff. 5-13-22; | 13 | | 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-456, eff. 1-1-24 .) | 14 | | Section 10. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing | 15 | | Section 3.2 as follows: | 16 | | (520 ILCS 5/3.2) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.2) | 17 | | Sec. 3.2. Hunting license; application; instruction. | 18 | | Before the Department or any county, city, village, township, | 19 | | incorporated town clerk or his duly designated agent or any | 20 | | other person authorized or designated by the Department to | 21 | | issue hunting licenses shall issue a hunting license to any | 22 | | person, the person shall file his application with the | 23 | | Department or other party authorized to issue licenses on a | 24 | | form provided by the Department and further give definite |
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| 1 | | proof of identity and place of legal residence. Each clerk | 2 | | designating agents to issue licenses and stamps shall furnish | 3 | | the Department, within 10 days following the appointment, the | 4 | | names and mailing addresses of the agents. Each clerk or his | 5 | | duly designated agent shall be authorized to sell licenses and | 6 | | stamps only within the territorial area for which he was | 7 | | elected or appointed. No duly designated agent is authorized | 8 | | to furnish licenses or stamps for issuance by any other | 9 | | business establishment. Each application shall be executed and | 10 | | sworn to and shall set forth the name and description of the | 11 | | applicant and place of residence. | 12 | | No hunting license shall be issued to any person born on or | 13 | | after January 1, 1980 unless he presents the person authorized | 14 | | to issue the license evidence that he has held a hunting | 15 | | license issued by the State of Illinois or another state in a | 16 | | prior year, or a certificate of competency as provided in this | 17 | | Section. Persons under 18 years of age may be issued a Lifetime | 18 | | Hunting or Sportsmen's Combination License as provided under | 19 | | Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code but shall not | 20 | | be entitled to hunt alone, without the supervision of an adult | 21 | | age 21 or older, unless they have a certificate of competency | 22 | | as provided in this Section and the certificate is in their | 23 | | possession while hunting. | 24 | | The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize | 25 | | personnel of the Department or certified volunteer instructors | 26 | | to conduct courses, of not less than 10 hours in length, in |
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| 1 | | firearms and hunter safety, which may include training in bow | 2 | | and arrow safety, at regularly specified intervals throughout | 3 | | the State. Persons successfully completing the course shall | 4 | | receive a certificate of competency. The Department of Natural | 5 | | Resources may further cooperate with any reputable association | 6 | | or organization in establishing courses if the organization | 7 | | has as one of its objectives the promotion of safety in the | 8 | | handling of firearms or bow and arrow. | 9 | | The Department of Natural Resources shall designate any | 10 | | person found by it to be competent to give instruction in the | 11 | | handling of firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. The | 12 | | persons so appointed shall give the course of instruction and | 13 | | upon the successful completion shall issue to the person | 14 | | instructed a certificate of competency in the safe handling of | 15 | | firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. No charge shall be | 16 | | made for any course of instruction except for materials or | 17 | | ammunition consumed. The Department of Natural Resources shall | 18 | | furnish information on the requirements of hunter safety | 19 | | education programs to be distributed free of charge to | 20 | | applicants for hunting licenses by the persons appointed and | 21 | | authorized to issue licenses. Funds for the conducting of | 22 | | firearms and hunter safety courses shall be taken from the fee | 23 | | charged for the Firearm Owners Identification Card. | 24 | | The fee for a hunting license to hunt all species for a | 25 | | resident of Illinois is $12. For residents age 65 or older, | 26 | | and, commencing with the 2012 license year , resident veterans |
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| 1 | | of the United States Armed Forces after returning from service | 2 | | abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States | 3 | | as an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the | 4 | | Illinois National Guard, or the Reserves of the United States | 5 | | Armed Forces, and, commencing with the 2025 license year, | 6 | | resident veterans serving in the Illinois National Guard, the | 7 | | fee is one-half of the fee charged for a hunting license to | 8 | | hunt all species for a resident of Illinois. Residents serving | 9 | | in the Illinois National Guard and veterans Veterans must | 10 | | provide to the Department acceptable verification of their | 11 | | service. The Department shall establish by administrative rule | 12 | | the procedure by which such verification of service shall be | 13 | | made to the Department for the purpose of issuing resident | 14 | | veterans hunting licenses at a reduced fee. The fee for a | 15 | | hunting license to hunt all species shall be $1 for residents | 16 | | over 75 years of age. Nonresidents shall be charged $57 for a | 17 | | hunting license. | 18 | | Residents of this State may obtain a 3-year hunting | 19 | | license to hunt all species as described in Section 3.1 for 3 | 20 | | times the annual fee. For residents age 65 or older and | 21 | | resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces after | 22 | | returning from service abroad or mobilization by the President | 23 | | of the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged | 24 | | for a 3-year hunting license to hunt all species as described | 25 | | in Section 3.1 for a resident of this State. Veterans must | 26 | | provide to the Department, per administrative rule, |
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| 1 | | verification of their service. The Department shall establish | 2 | | what constitutes suitable verification of service for the | 3 | | purpose of issuing resident veterans 3-year hunting licenses | 4 | | at a reduced fee. | 5 | | Nonresidents may be issued a nonresident hunting license | 6 | | for a period not to exceed 10 consecutive days' hunting in the | 7 | | State and shall be charged a fee of $35. | 8 | | A special nonresident hunting license authorizing a | 9 | | nonresident to take game birds by hunting on a game breeding | 10 | | and hunting preserve area only, established under Section | 11 | | 3.27, shall be issued upon proper application being made and | 12 | | payment of a fee equal to that for a resident hunting license. | 13 | | The expiration date of this license shall be on the same date | 14 | | each year that game breeding and hunting preserve area | 15 | | licenses expire. | 16 | | Each applicant for a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp, | 17 | | regardless of his residence or other condition, shall pay a | 18 | | fee of $15 and shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State | 19 | | Migratory Waterfowl Stamp shall be waived for residents over | 20 | | 75 years of age. Except as provided under Section 20-45 of the | 21 | | Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp shall be signed by the | 22 | | person or affixed to his license or permit in a space | 23 | | designated by the Department for that purpose. | 24 | | Each applicant for a State Habitat Stamp, regardless of | 25 | | his residence or other condition, shall pay a fee of $5 and | 26 | | shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State Habitat Stamp shall |
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| 1 | | be waived for residents over 75 years of age. Except as | 2 | | provided under Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life | 3 | | Code, the stamp shall be signed by the person or affixed to his | 4 | | license or permit in a space designated by the Department for | 5 | | that purpose. | 6 | | Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to require | 7 | | the purchase of more than one State Habitat Stamp by any person | 8 | | in any one license year. | 9 | | The fees for State Pheasant Stamps and State Furbearer | 10 | | Stamps shall be waived for residents over 75 years of age. | 11 | | The Department shall furnish the holders of hunting | 12 | | licenses and stamps with an insignia as evidence of possession | 13 | | of license, or license and stamp, as the Department may | 14 | | consider advisable. The insignia shall be exhibited and used | 15 | | as the Department may order. | 16 | | All other hunting licenses and all State stamps shall | 17 | | expire upon March 31 of each year. Three-year hunting licenses | 18 | | shall expire on March 31 of the 2nd year after the year in | 19 | | which the license is issued. | 20 | | Every person holding any license, permit, or stamp issued | 21 | | under the provisions of this Act shall have it in his | 22 | | possession for immediate presentation for inspection to the | 23 | | officers and authorized employees of the Department, any | 24 | | sheriff, deputy sheriff, or any other peace officer making a | 25 | | demand for it. This provision shall not apply to Department | 26 | | owned or managed sites where it is required that all hunters |
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| 1 | | deposit their license, permit, or Firearm Owner's | 2 | | Identification Card at the check station upon entering the | 3 | | hunting areas. | 4 | | For the purposes of this Section, "acceptable | 5 | | verification" means , for veterans, official documentation from | 6 | | the Department of Defense or the appropriate Major Command | 7 | | showing mobilization dates or service abroad dates, including: | 8 | | (i) a DD-214, (ii) a letter from the Illinois Department of | 9 | | Military Affairs for members of the Illinois National Guard, | 10 | | (iii) a letter from the Regional Reserve Command for members | 11 | | of the Armed Forces Reserve, (iv) a letter from the Major | 12 | | Command covering Illinois for active duty members, (v) | 13 | | personnel records for mobilized State employees, and (vi) any | 14 | | other documentation that the Department, by administrative | 15 | | rule, deems acceptable to establish dates of mobilization or | 16 | | service abroad. For residents serving in the Illinois National | 17 | | Guard, "acceptable verification" means any documentation that | 18 | | the Department, by administrative rule, deems acceptable to | 19 | | establish that the resident is serving in the Illinois | 20 | | National Guard. | 21 | | For the purposes of this Section, the term "service | 22 | | abroad" means active duty service outside of the 50 United | 23 | | States and the District of Columbia, and includes all active | 24 | | duty service in territories and possessions of the United | 25 | | States. | 26 | | (Source: P.A. 102-780, eff. 5-13-22; 103-456, eff. 1-1-24 .) |
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| 1 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | 2 | | becoming law. |
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