HB2574 EngrossedLRB098 06147 CEL 36188 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 Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section
53.1-4 as follows:
 
6    (520 ILCS 5/3.1-4)
7    Sec. 3.1-4. Military members returning from mobilization
8and service outside the United States.
9    (a) After returning from service abroad or mobilization by
10the President of the United States as an active duty member of
11the United States Armed Forces, the Illinois National Guard, or
12the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces, an Illinois
13resident may hunt any of the species protected by Section 2.2
14of this Code without paying any fees required to obtain a
15hunting license for the time period prescribed by subsection
16(b) of this Section if the Illinois resident applies for a
17license within 2 years after returning from service abroad or
18mobilization. The applicant shall provide acceptable
19verification of service or mobilization to the Department
20either at the Department's office in Springfield or at a
21Regional Office of the Department.
22    (b) For each year that an applicant is an active duty
23member pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section, the

 

 

HB2574 Engrossed- 2 -LRB098 06147 CEL 36188 b

1applicant shall receive one free hunting license, one free Deer
2Hunting Permit as provided in Section 2.26 of this Code and
3rules adopted pursuant to that Section, and one free State
4Habitat Stamp. For the purposes of this determination, if the
5period of active duty is a portion of a year (for example, one
6year and 3 months), the applicant will be credited with a full
7year for the portion of a year served.
8    (c) (Blank).
9    (c-5) An Illinois resident veteran may obtain an Illinois
10Hunter Education card if he or she completes the online study
11section of the Illinois Hunter Education program and provides
12the Department with acceptable verification of service or
13mobilization.
14    (d) For the purposes of this Section, "acceptable
15verification of service or mobilization" means official
16documentation from the Department of Defense or the appropriate
17Major Command showing mobilization dates or service abroad
18dates, including: (i) a DD-214, (ii) a letter from the Illinois
19Department of Military Affairs for members of the Illinois
20National Guard, (iii) a letter from the Regional Reserve
21Command for members of the Armed Forces Reserve, (iv) a letter
22from the Major Command covering Illinois for active duty
23members, (v) personnel records for mobilized State employees,
24and (vi) any other documentation that the Department, by
25administrative rule, deems acceptable to establish dates of
26mobilization or service abroad.

 

 

HB2574 Engrossed- 3 -LRB098 06147 CEL 36188 b

1    (e) For the purposes of this Section, the term "service
2abroad" means active duty service outside of the 50 United
3States and the District of Columbia, and includes all active
4duty service in territories and possessions of the United
5States.
6(Source: P.A. 96-1014, eff. 1-1-11.)
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.