102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4540

 

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Rep. David A. Welter

 

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 Wildlife Code and the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Provides that hunting and fishing license fees shall be one-half the price of the current license fee amount for all resident veterans, regardless of deployment (instead of only for veterans after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States). Effective immediately.


LRB102 23401 NLB 32570 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4540LRB102 23401 NLB 32570 b

1    AN ACT concerning wildlife.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Fish and Aquatic Life Code is amended by
5changing 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
8for 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, regardless of
17    deployment after returning from service abroad or
18    mobilization by the President of the United States.
19    Veterans must provide, to the Department at one of the
20    Department's 5 regional offices, verification of their
21    service. The Department shall establish what constitutes
22    suitable verification of service for the purpose of
23    issuing fishing licenses to resident veterans at a reduced

 

 

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1    fee.
2        (a-5) The fee for all sport fishing licenses shall be
3    $1 for residents over 75 years of age.
4        (b) All residents before using any commercial fishing
5    device shall obtain a commercial fishing license, the fee
6    for which shall be $60 and a resident fishing license, the
7    fee for which is $14.50. Each and every commercial device
8    used shall be licensed by a resident commercial fisherman
9    as follows:
10            (1) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction
11        thereof, of seine the fee is $18. For each minnow
12        seine, minnow trap, or net for commercial purposes the
13        fee is $20.
14            (2) For each device to fish with a 100 hook trot
15        line device, basket trap, hoop net, or dip net the fee
16        is $3.
17            (3) When used in the waters of Lake Michigan, for
18        the first 2000 lineal feet, or fraction thereof, of
19        gill net the fee is $10; and for each 1000 additional
20        lineal feet, or fraction thereof, the fee is $10.
21        These fees shall apply to all gill nets in use in the
22        water or on drying reels on the shore.
23            (4) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction
24        thereof, of gill net or trammel net the fee is $18.
25        (c) Residents of the State of Illinois may obtain a
26    sportsmen's combination license that shall entitle the

 

 

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1    holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as
2    residents holding a license as described in subsection (a)
3    of this Section and to the same hunting privileges as
4    residents holding a license to hunt all species as
5    described in Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No
6    sportsmen's combination license shall be issued to any
7    individual who would be ineligible for either the fishing
8    or hunting license separately. The sportsmen's combination
9    license fee shall be $25.50. For residents age 65 or
10    older, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a
11    sportsmen's combination license. For resident veterans of
12    the United States Armed Forces, regardless of deployment
13    after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the
14    President of the United States, the fee, commencing with
15    the 2012 license year, is one-half of the fee charged for a
16    sportsmen's combination license. Veterans must provide to
17    the Department, at one of the Department's 5 regional
18    offices, verification of their service. The Department
19    shall establish what constitutes suitable verification of
20    service for the purpose of issuing sportsmen's combination
21    licenses to resident veterans at a reduced fee.
22        (d) For 24 hours of fishing by sport fishing devices
23    as defined in Section 10-95 or by spearing devices as
24    defined in Section 10-110 the fee is $5. This license does
25    not exempt the licensee from the requirement for a salmon
26    or inland trout stamp. The licenses provided for by this

 

 

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1    subsection are not required for residents of the State of
2    Illinois who have obtained the license provided for in
3    subsection (a) of this Section.
4        (e) All residents before using any commercial mussel
5    device shall obtain a commercial mussel license, the fee
6    for which shall be $50.
7        (f) Residents of this State, upon establishing
8    residency as required by the Department, may obtain a
9    lifetime hunting or fishing license or lifetime
10    sportsmen's combination license which shall entitle the
11    holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as
12    residents holding a license as described in paragraph (a)
13    of this Section and to the same hunting privileges as
14    residents holding a license to hunt all species as
15    described in Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No lifetime
16    sportsmen's combination license shall be issued to or
17    retained by any individual who would be ineligible for
18    either the fishing or hunting license separately, either
19    upon issuance, or in any year a violation would subject an
20    individual to have either or both fishing or hunting
21    privileges rescinded. The lifetime hunting and fishing
22    license fees shall be as follows:
23            (1) Lifetime fishing: 30 x the current fishing
24        license fee.
25            (2) Lifetime hunting: 30 x the current hunting
26        license fee.

 

 

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1            (3) Lifetime sportsmen's combination license: 30 x
2        the current sportsmen's combination license fee.
3    Lifetime licenses shall not be refundable. A $10 fee shall
4be charged for reissuing any lifetime license. The Department
5may establish rules and regulations for the issuance and use
6of lifetime licenses and may suspend or revoke any lifetime
7license issued under this Section for violations of those
8rules or regulations or other provisions under this Code or
9the Wildlife Code. Individuals under 16 years of age who
10possess a lifetime hunting or sportsmen's combination license
11shall have in their possession, while in the field, a
12certificate of competency as required under Section 3.2 of the
13Wildlife Code. Any lifetime license issued under this Section
14shall not exempt individuals from obtaining additional stamps
15or permits required under the provisions of this Code or the
16Wildlife Code. Individuals required to purchase additional
17stamps shall sign the stamps and have them in their possession
18while fishing or hunting with a lifetime license. All fees
19received from the issuance of lifetime licenses shall be
20deposited in the Fish and Wildlife Endowment Fund.
21    Except for licenses issued under subsection (e) of this
22Section, all licenses provided for in this Section shall
23expire on March 31 of each year, except that the license
24provided for in subsection (d) of this Section shall expire 24
25hours after the effective date and time listed on the face of
26the license.

 

 

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1    All individuals required to have and failing to have the
2license provided for in subsection (a) or (d) of this Section
3shall be fined according to the provisions of Section 20-35 of
4this Code.
5    All individuals required to have and failing to have the
6licenses provided for in subsections (b) and (e) of this
7Section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
8(Source: P.A. 97-498, eff. 4-1-12; 97-1136, eff. 1-1-13;
998-800, eff. 8-1-14.)
 
10    Section 10. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
11Section 3.2 as follows:
 
12    (520 ILCS 5/3.2)  (from Ch. 61, par. 3.2)
13    Sec. 3.2. Hunting license; application; instruction.
14Before the Department or any county, city, village, township,
15incorporated town clerk or his duly designated agent or any
16other person authorized or designated by the Department to
17issue hunting licenses shall issue a hunting license to any
18person, the person shall file his application with the
19Department or other party authorized to issue licenses on a
20form provided by the Department and further give definite
21proof of identity and place of legal residence. Each clerk
22designating agents to issue licenses and stamps shall furnish
23the Department, within 10 days following the appointment, the
24names and mailing addresses of the agents. Each clerk or his

 

 

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1duly designated agent shall be authorized to sell licenses and
2stamps only within the territorial area for which he was
3elected or appointed. No duly designated agent is authorized
4to furnish licenses or stamps for issuance by any other
5business establishment. Each application shall be executed and
6sworn to and shall set forth the name and description of the
7applicant and place of residence.
8    No hunting license shall be issued to any person born on or
9after January 1, 1980 unless he presents the person authorized
10to issue the license evidence that he has held a hunting
11license issued by the State of Illinois or another state in a
12prior year, or a certificate of competency as provided in this
13Section. Persons under 18 years of age may be issued a Lifetime
14Hunting or Sportsmen's Combination License as provided under
15Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code but shall not
16be entitled to hunt alone, without the supervision of an adult
17age 21 or older, unless they have a certificate of competency
18as provided in this Section and the certificate is in their
19possession while hunting.
20    The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize
21personnel of the Department or certified volunteer instructors
22to conduct courses, of not less than 10 hours in length, in
23firearms and hunter safety, which may include training in bow
24and arrow safety, at regularly specified intervals throughout
25the State. Persons successfully completing the course shall
26receive a certificate of competency. The Department of Natural

 

 

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1Resources may further cooperate with any reputable association
2or organization in establishing courses if the organization
3has as one of its objectives the promotion of safety in the
4handling of firearms or bow and arrow.
5    The Department of Natural Resources shall designate any
6person found by it to be competent to give instruction in the
7handling of firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. The
8persons so appointed shall give the course of instruction and
9upon the successful completion shall issue to the person
10instructed a certificate of competency in the safe handling of
11firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. No charge shall be
12made for any course of instruction except for materials or
13ammunition consumed. The Department of Natural Resources shall
14furnish information on the requirements of hunter safety
15education programs to be distributed free of charge to
16applicants for hunting licenses by the persons appointed and
17authorized to issue licenses. Funds for the conducting of
18firearms and hunter safety courses shall be taken from the fee
19charged for the Firearm Owners Identification Card.
20    The fee for a hunting license to hunt all species for a
21resident of Illinois is $12. For residents age 65 or older,
22and, commencing with the 2012 license year, resident veterans
23of the United States Armed Forces, regardless of deployment
24after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the
25President of the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee
26charged for a hunting license to hunt all species for a

 

 

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1resident of Illinois. Veterans must provide to the Department,
2at one of the Department's 5 regional offices, verification of
3their service. The Department shall establish what constitutes
4suitable verification of service for the purpose of issuing
5resident veterans hunting licenses at a reduced fee. The fee
6for a hunting license to hunt all species shall be $1 for
7residents over 75 years of age. Nonresidents shall be charged
8$57 for a hunting license.
9    Nonresidents may be issued a nonresident hunting license
10for a period not to exceed 10 consecutive days' hunting in the
11State and shall be charged a fee of $35.
12    A special nonresident hunting license authorizing a
13nonresident to take game birds by hunting on a game breeding
14and hunting preserve area only, established under Section
153.27, shall be issued upon proper application being made and
16payment of a fee equal to that for a resident hunting license.
17The expiration date of this license shall be on the same date
18each year that game breeding and hunting preserve area
19licenses expire.
20    Each applicant for a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp,
21regardless of his residence or other condition, shall pay a
22fee of $15 and shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State
23Migratory Waterfowl Stamp shall be waived for residents over
2475 years of age. Except as provided under Section 20-45 of the
25Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp shall be signed by the
26person or affixed to his license or permit in a space

 

 

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1designated by the Department for that purpose.
2    Each applicant for a State Habitat Stamp, regardless of
3his residence or other condition, shall pay a fee of $5 and
4shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State Habitat Stamp shall
5be waived for residents over 75 years of age. Except as
6provided under Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life
7Code, the stamp shall be signed by the person or affixed to his
8license or permit in a space designated by the Department for
9that purpose.
10    Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to require
11the purchase of more than one State Habitat Stamp by any person
12in any one license year.
13    The fees for State Pheasant Stamps and State Furbearer
14Stamps shall be waived for residents over 75 years of age.
15    The Department shall furnish the holders of hunting
16licenses and stamps with an insignia as evidence of possession
17of license, or license and stamp, as the Department may
18consider advisable. The insignia shall be exhibited and used
19as the Department may order.
20    All other hunting licenses and all State stamps shall
21expire upon March 31 of each year.
22    Every person holding any license, permit, or stamp issued
23under the provisions of this Act shall have it in his
24possession for immediate presentation for inspection to the
25officers and authorized employees of the Department, any
26sheriff, deputy sheriff, or any other peace officer making a

 

 

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1demand for it. This provision shall not apply to Department
2owned or managed sites where it is required that all hunters
3deposit their license, permit, or Firearm Owner's
4Identification Card at the check station upon entering the
5hunting areas.
6(Source: P.A. 100-638, eff. 1-1-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.