98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2574

 

Introduced , by Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
520 ILCS 5/3.2  from Ch. 61, par. 3.2

    Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that when applying for a hunting license, residents who have been honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces or the Illinois National Guard, upon providing verification of their service, are deemed to have met the requirements for a certificate of competency. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall establish what constitutes suitable verification of service. 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,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section
53.2 as follows:
 
6    (520 ILCS 5/3.2)  (from Ch. 61, par. 3.2)
7    Sec. 3.2. Hunting license; application; instruction.
8Before the Department or any county, city, village, township,
9incorporated town clerk or his duly designated agent or any
10other person authorized or designated by the Department to
11issue hunting licenses shall issue a hunting license to any
12person, the person shall file his application with the
13Department or other party authorized to issue licenses on a
14form provided by the Department and further give definite proof
15of identity and place of legal residence. Each clerk
16designating agents to issue licenses and stamps shall furnish
17the Department, within 10 days following the appointment, the
18names and mailing addresses of the agents. Each clerk or his
19duly designated agent shall be authorized to sell licenses and
20stamps only within the territorial area for which he was
21elected or appointed. No duly designated agent is authorized to
22furnish licenses or stamps for issuance by any other business
23establishment. Each application shall be executed and sworn to

 

 

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1and shall set forth the name and description of the applicant
2and place of residence.
3    No hunting license shall be issued to any person born on or
4after January 1, 1980 unless he presents the person authorized
5to issue the license evidence that he has held a hunting
6license issued by the State of Illinois or another state in a
7prior year, or a certificate of competency as provided in this
8Section. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary,
9residents born on or after January 1, 1980 who have been
10honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces or the
11Illinois National Guard, upon providing verification of their
12service at one of the Department's 5 regional offices, are
13deemed to have met the requirements for a certificate of
14competency. The Department shall establish what constitutes
15suitable verification of service for issuing the certificate.
16Persons under 16 years of age may be issued a Lifetime Hunting
17or Sportsmen's Combination License as provided under Section
1820-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code but shall not be
19entitled to hunt unless they have a certificate of competency
20as provided in this Section and they shall have the certificate
21in their possession while hunting.
22    The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize
23personnel of the Department or certified volunteer instructors
24to conduct courses, of not less than 10 hours in length, in
25firearms and hunter safety, which may include training in bow
26and arrow safety, at regularly specified intervals throughout

 

 

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

 

 

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1the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a hunting license to
2hunt all species for a resident of Illinois. Veterans must
3provide to the Department, at one of the Department's 5
4regional offices, verification of their service. The
5Department shall establish what constitutes suitable
6verification of service for the purpose of issuing resident
7veterans hunting licenses at a reduced fee. Nonresidents shall
8be charged $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 3.27,
15shall be issued upon proper application being made and payment
16of a fee equal to that for a resident hunting license. The
17expiration date of this license shall be on the same date each
18year that game breeding and hunting preserve area licenses
19expire.
20    Each applicant for a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp,
21regardless of his residence or other condition, shall pay a fee
22of $15 and shall receive a stamp. Except as provided under
23Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp
24shall be signed by the person or affixed to his license or
25permit in a space designated by the Department for that
26purpose.

 

 

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1    Each applicant for a State Habitat Stamp, regardless of his
2residence or other condition, shall pay a fee of $5 and shall
3receive a stamp. Except as provided under Section 20-45 of the
4Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp shall be signed by the
5person or affixed to his license or permit in a space
6designated by the Department for that purpose.
7    Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to require
8the purchase of more than one State Habitat Stamp by any person
9in any one license year.
10    The Department shall furnish the holders of hunting
11licenses and stamps with an insignia as evidence of possession
12of license, or license and stamp, as the Department may
13consider advisable. The insignia shall be exhibited and used as
14the Department may order.
15    All other hunting licenses and all State stamps shall
16expire upon March 31 of each year.
17    Every person holding any license, permit, or stamp issued
18under the provisions of this Act shall have it in his
19possession for immediate presentation for inspection to the
20officers and authorized employees of the Department, any
21sheriff, deputy sheriff, or any other peace officer making a
22demand for it. This provision shall not apply to Department
23owned or managed sites where it is required that all hunters
24deposit their license, permit, or Firearm Owner's
25Identification Card at the check station upon entering the
26hunting areas.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 96-831, eff. 1-1-10; 97-498, eff. 4-1-12.)
 
2    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
3becoming law.