103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1232

 

Introduced 2/2/2023, by Sen. Neil Anderson

 

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 and the Wildlife Code. Provides that the current fees for a fishing license, sportsmen's combination license, and hunting license are annual fees. Allows a resident to obtain a 3-year fishing license (for a fee of $45), sportsmen's combination license (for a fee of $78.75), or hunting license (for a fee of $37.50). Provides that there is no fee for an annual or 3-year fishing license, sportsmen's combination license, or hunting license for a resident Gold Star Family member. Effective immediately.


LRB103 24872 RJT 51205 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1232LRB103 24872 RJT 51205 b

1    AN ACT concerning fishing and hunting.
 
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. Residents of
13    the State of Illinois may obtain a 3-year fishing license,
14    and except as otherwise provided in this Section, for
15    sport fishing devices as defined in Section 10-95 or
16    spearing devices as defined in Section 10-110, the fee for
17    a 3-year fishing license is $45. For , one-half of the
18    current fishing license fee for individuals age 65 or
19    older, and, commencing with the 2012 license year,
20    one-half of the current fishing license fee for resident
21    veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning
22    from service abroad or mobilization by the President of
23    the United States as an active duty member of the United

 

 

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1    States Armed Forces, the Illinois National Guard, or the
2    Reserves of the United States Armed Forces, fees are
3    one-half of the current fishing license fee. Veterans must
4    provide to the Department acceptable verification of their
5    service. The Department shall establish by administrative
6    rule the procedure by which such verification of service
7    shall be made to the Department for the purpose of issuing
8    fishing licenses to resident veterans at a reduced fee.
9        (a-5) The fee for all sport fishing licenses shall be
10    $1 for residents over 75 years of age.
11        (a-6) There is no fee for an annual or 3-year fishing
12    license for resident Gold Star Family members. A Gold Star
13    Family member includes an immediate relative of a United
14    States Armed Forces member who died in battle or in
15    support of certain military activities, including a
16    parent, child, brother, sister, or other loved one. Gold
17    Star Family members must provide verification to the
18    Department at one of the Department's 5 regional offices.
19    The Department shall establish who qualifies for Gold Star
20    Family member status and what constitutes suitable
21    verification.
22        (b) All residents before using any commercial fishing
23    device shall obtain a commercial fishing license, the fee
24    for which shall be $60 and a resident fishing license, the
25    fee for which is $14.50. Each and every commercial device
26    used shall be licensed by a resident commercial fisherman

 

 

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1    as follows:
2            (1) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction
3        thereof, of seine the fee is $18. For each minnow
4        seine, minnow trap, or net for commercial purposes the
5        fee is $20.
6            (2) For each device to fish with a 100 hook trot
7        line device, basket trap, hoop net, or dip net the fee
8        is $3.
9            (3) When used in the waters of Lake Michigan, for
10        the first 2000 lineal feet, or fraction thereof, of
11        gill net the fee is $10; and for each 1000 additional
12        lineal feet, or fraction thereof, the fee is $10.
13        These fees shall apply to all gill nets in use in the
14        water or on drying reels on the shore.
15            (4) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction
16        thereof, of gill net or trammel net the fee is $18.
17        (c) Residents of the State of Illinois may obtain an
18    annual or 3-year a sportsmen's combination license that
19    shall entitle the holder to the same non-commercial
20    fishing privileges as residents holding a license as
21    described in subsection (a) of this Section and to the
22    same hunting privileges as residents holding a license to
23    hunt all species as described in Section 3.1 of the
24    Wildlife Code. No sportsmen's combination license shall be
25    issued to any individual who would be ineligible for
26    either the fishing or hunting license separately. The

 

 

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1    annual sportsmen's combination license fee shall be
2    $25.50. The 3-year sportsmen's combination license fee is
3    $78.75. For residents age 65 or older, the fee is one-half
4    of the fee charged for a sportsmen's combination license.
5    For resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces
6    after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the
7    President of the United States as an active duty member of
8    the United States Armed Forces, the Illinois National
9    Guard, or the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces,
10    the fee, commencing with the 2012 license year, is
11    one-half of the fee charged for a sportsmen's combination
12    license. Veterans must provide to the Department
13    acceptable verification of their service. The Department
14    shall establish by administrative rule the procedure by
15    which such verification of service shall be made to the
16    Department for the purpose of issuing sportsmen's
17    combination licenses to resident veterans at a reduced
18    fee.
19    (c-1) There is no fee for an annual or 3-year sportsmen's
20combination license for resident Gold Star Family members. A
21Gold Star Family member includes an immediate relative of a
22United States Armed Forces member who died in battle or in
23support of certain military activities, including a parent,
24child, brother, sister, or other loved one. Gold Star Family
25members must provide verification to the Department at one of
26the Department's 5 regional offices. The Department shall

 

 

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1establish who qualifies for Gold Star Family member status and
2what constitutes suitable verification.
3        (d) For 24 hours of fishing by sport fishing devices
4    as defined in Section 10-95 or by spearing devices as
5    defined in Section 10-110 the fee is $5. This license does
6    not exempt the licensee from the requirement for a salmon
7    or inland trout stamp. The licenses provided for by this
8    subsection are not required for residents of the State of
9    Illinois who have obtained the license provided for in
10    subsection (a) of this Section.
11        (e) All residents before using any commercial mussel
12    device shall obtain a commercial mussel license, the fee
13    for which shall be $50.
14        (f) Residents of this State, upon establishing
15    residency as required by the Department, may obtain a
16    lifetime hunting or fishing license or lifetime
17    sportsmen's combination license which shall entitle the
18    holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as
19    residents holding a license as described in paragraph (a)
20    of this Section and to the same hunting privileges as
21    residents holding a license to hunt all species as
22    described in Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No lifetime
23    sportsmen's combination license shall be issued to or
24    retained by any individual who would be ineligible for
25    either the fishing or hunting license separately, either
26    upon issuance, or in any year a violation would subject an

 

 

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1    individual to have either or both fishing or hunting
2    privileges rescinded. The lifetime hunting and fishing
3    license fees shall be as follows:
4            (1) Lifetime fishing: 30 x the current fishing
5        license fee.
6            (2) Lifetime hunting: 30 x the current hunting
7        license fee.
8            (3) Lifetime sportsmen's combination license: 30 x
9        the current sportsmen's combination license fee.
10    Lifetime licenses shall not be refundable. A $10 fee shall
11be charged for reissuing any lifetime license. The Department
12may establish rules and regulations for the issuance and use
13of lifetime licenses and may suspend or revoke any lifetime
14license issued under this Section for violations of those
15rules or regulations or other provisions under this Code or ,
16the Wildlife Code, or a violation of the United States Code
17that involves the taking, possessing, killing, harvesting,
18transportation, selling, exporting, or importing any fish or
19aquatic life protected by this Code or the taking, possessing,
20killing, harvesting, transportation, selling, exporting, or
21importing any fauna protected by the Wildlife Code when any
22part of the United States Code violation occurred in Illinois.
23Individuals under 16 years of age who possess a lifetime
24hunting or sportsmen's combination license shall have in their
25possession, while in the field, a certificate of competency as
26required under Section 3.2 of the Wildlife Code. Any lifetime

 

 

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1license issued under this Section shall not exempt individuals
2from obtaining additional stamps or permits required under the
3provisions of this Code or the Wildlife Code. Individuals
4required to purchase additional stamps shall sign the stamps
5and have them in their possession while fishing or hunting
6with a lifetime license. All fees received from the issuance
7of lifetime licenses shall be deposited in the Fish and
8Wildlife Endowment Fund.
9    Except for licenses issued under subsection (e) of this
10Section, all licenses provided for in this Section shall
11expire on March 31 of each year, except that the license
12provided for in subsection (d) of this Section shall expire 24
13hours after the effective date and time listed on the face of
14the license.
15    All individuals required to have and failing to have the
16license provided for in subsection (a) or (d) of this Section
17shall be fined according to the provisions of Section 20-35 of
18this Code.
19    All individuals required to have and failing to have the
20licenses provided for in subsections (b) and (e) of this
21Section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
22    (g) For the purposes of this Section, "acceptable
23verification" means official documentation from the Department
24of Defense or the appropriate Major Command showing
25mobilization dates or service abroad dates, including: (i) a
26DD-214, (ii) a letter from the Illinois Department of Military

 

 

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1Affairs for members of the Illinois National Guard, (iii) a
2letter from the Regional Reserve Command for members of the
3Armed Forces Reserve, (iv) a letter from the Major Command
4covering Illinois for active duty members, (v) personnel
5records for mobilized State employees, and (vi) any other
6documentation that the Department, by administrative rule,
7deems acceptable to establish dates of mobilization or service
8abroad.
9    For the purposes of this Section, the term "service
10abroad" means active duty service outside of the 50 United
11States and the District of Columbia, and includes all active
12duty service in territories and possessions of the United
13States.
14(Source: P.A. 102-780, eff. 5-13-22; 102-837, eff. 5-13-22;
15revised 7-26-22.)
 
16    Section 10. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
17Section 3.2 as follows:
 
18    (520 ILCS 5/3.2)  (from Ch. 61, par. 3.2)
19    Sec. 3.2. Hunting license; application; instruction.
20Before the Department or any county, city, village, township,
21incorporated town clerk or his duly designated agent or any
22other person authorized or designated by the Department to
23issue hunting licenses shall issue a hunting license to any
24person, the person shall file his application with the

 

 

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1Department or other party authorized to issue licenses on a
2form provided by the Department and further give definite
3proof of identity and place of legal residence. Each clerk
4designating agents to issue licenses and stamps shall furnish
5the Department, within 10 days following the appointment, the
6names and mailing addresses of the agents. Each clerk or his
7duly designated agent shall be authorized to sell licenses and
8stamps only within the territorial area for which he was
9elected or appointed. No duly designated agent is authorized
10to furnish licenses or stamps for issuance by any other
11business establishment. Each application shall be executed and
12sworn to and shall set forth the name and description of the
13applicant and place of residence.
14    No hunting license shall be issued to any person born on or
15after January 1, 1980 unless he presents the person authorized
16to issue the license evidence that he has held a hunting
17license issued by the State of Illinois or another state in a
18prior year, or a certificate of competency as provided in this
19Section. Persons under 18 years of age may be issued a Lifetime
20Hunting or Sportsmen's Combination License as provided under
21Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code but shall not
22be entitled to hunt alone, without the supervision of an adult
23age 21 or older, unless they have a certificate of competency
24as provided in this Section and the certificate is in their
25possession while hunting.
26    The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize

 

 

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1personnel of the Department or certified volunteer instructors
2to conduct courses, of not less than 10 hours in length, in
3firearms and hunter safety, which may include training in bow
4and arrow safety, at regularly specified intervals throughout
5the State. Persons successfully completing the course shall
6receive a certificate of competency. The Department of Natural
7Resources may further cooperate with any reputable association
8or organization in establishing courses if the organization
9has as one of its objectives the promotion of safety in the
10handling of firearms or bow and arrow.
11    The Department of Natural Resources shall designate any
12person found by it to be competent to give instruction in the
13handling of firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. The
14persons so appointed shall give the course of instruction and
15upon the successful completion shall issue to the person
16instructed a certificate of competency in the safe handling of
17firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. No charge shall be
18made for any course of instruction except for materials or
19ammunition consumed. The Department of Natural Resources shall
20furnish information on the requirements of hunter safety
21education programs to be distributed free of charge to
22applicants for hunting licenses by the persons appointed and
23authorized to issue licenses. Funds for the conducting of
24firearms and hunter safety courses shall be taken from the fee
25charged for the Firearm Owners Identification Card.
26    The annual fee for a hunting license to hunt all species

 

 

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1for a resident of Illinois is $12. Residents of the State of
2Illinois may obtain a 3-year hunting license to hunt all
3species for a fee of $37.50. For residents age 65 or older,
4and, commencing with the 2012 license year, resident veterans
5of the United States Armed Forces after returning from service
6abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States
7as an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the
8Illinois National Guard, or the Reserves of the United States
9Armed Forces, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a
10hunting license to hunt all species for a resident of
11Illinois. Veterans must provide to the Department acceptable
12verification of their service. The Department shall establish
13by administrative rule the procedure by which such
14verification of service shall be made to the Department for
15the purpose of issuing resident veterans hunting licenses at a
16reduced fee. There is no fee for an annual or 3-year hunting
17license for resident Gold Star Family members. A Gold Star
18Family member includes an immediate relative of a United
19States Armed Forces member who died in battle or in support of
20certain military activities, including a parent, child,
21brother, sister, or other loved one. Gold Star Family members
22must provide verification to the Department at one of the
23Department's 5 regional offices. The Department shall
24establish who qualifies for Gold Star Family member status and
25what constitutes suitable verification. The fee for a hunting
26license to hunt all species shall be $1 for residents over 75

 

 

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1years of age. Nonresidents shall be charged $57 for a hunting
2license.
3    Nonresidents may be issued a nonresident hunting license
4for a period not to exceed 10 consecutive days' hunting in the
5State and shall be charged a fee of $35.
6    A special nonresident hunting license authorizing a
7nonresident to take game birds by hunting on a game breeding
8and hunting preserve area only, established under Section
93.27, shall be issued upon proper application being made and
10payment of a fee equal to that for a resident hunting license.
11The expiration date of this license shall be on the same date
12each year that game breeding and hunting preserve area
13licenses expire.
14    Each applicant for a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp,
15regardless of his residence or other condition, shall pay a
16fee of $15 and shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State
17Migratory Waterfowl Stamp shall be waived for residents over
1875 years of age. Except as provided under Section 20-45 of the
19Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp shall be signed by the
20person or affixed to his license or permit in a space
21designated by the Department for that purpose.
22    Each applicant for a State Habitat Stamp, regardless of
23his residence or other condition, shall pay a fee of $5 and
24shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State Habitat Stamp shall
25be waived for residents over 75 years of age. Except as
26provided under Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life

 

 

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1Code, the stamp shall be signed by the person or affixed to his
2license or permit in a space designated by the Department for
3that purpose.
4    Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to require
5the purchase of more than one State Habitat Stamp by any person
6in any one license year.
7    The fees for State Pheasant Stamps and State Furbearer
8Stamps shall be waived for residents over 75 years of age.
9    The Department shall furnish the holders of hunting
10licenses and stamps with an insignia as evidence of possession
11of license, or license and stamp, as the Department may
12consider advisable. The insignia shall be exhibited and used
13as the Department may order.
14    All other hunting licenses and all State stamps shall
15expire upon March 31 of each year.
16    Every person holding any license, permit, or stamp issued
17under the provisions of this Act shall have it in his
18possession for immediate presentation for inspection to the
19officers and authorized employees of the Department, any
20sheriff, deputy sheriff, or any other peace officer making a
21demand for it. This provision shall not apply to Department
22owned or managed sites where it is required that all hunters
23deposit their license, permit, or Firearm Owner's
24Identification Card at the check station upon entering the
25hunting areas.
26    For the purposes of this Section, "acceptable

 

 

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1verification" means official documentation from the Department
2of Defense or the appropriate Major Command showing
3mobilization dates or service abroad dates, including: (i) a
4DD-214, (ii) a letter from the Illinois Department of Military
5Affairs for members of the Illinois National Guard, (iii) a
6letter from the Regional Reserve Command for members of the
7Armed Forces Reserve, (iv) a letter from the Major Command
8covering Illinois for active duty members, (v) personnel
9records for mobilized State employees, and (vi) any other
10documentation that the Department, by administrative rule,
11deems acceptable to establish dates of mobilization or service
12abroad.
13    For the purposes of this Section, the term "service
14abroad" means active duty service outside of the 50 United
15States and the District of Columbia, and includes all active
16duty service in territories and possessions of the United
17States.
18(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 102-780, eff. 5-13-22.)
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20becoming law.