101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB4996

 

Introduced 2/18/2020, by Rep. Charles Meier

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
520 ILCS 5/1.2s-1 new
520 ILCS 5/2.2  from Ch. 61, par. 2.2
520 ILCS 5/2.30  from Ch. 61, par. 2.30
520 ILCS 5/2.33  from Ch. 61, par. 2.33

    Amends the Wildlife Code. Includes wild swine as a protected species covered by the Code. Sets forth definitions of "wild swine" for purposes of the Code. Provides that wild swine may be taken by hunting methods at any time. Provides further that wild swine may be taken during the open season by use of a small light that is worn on the body or hand-held by a person not in any vehicle. Effectively immediately.


LRB101 16760 CMG 66151 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4996LRB101 16760 CMG 66151 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
5Sections 2.30, 2.2, and 2.33 and by adding Section 1.2s-1 as
6follows:
 
7    (520 ILCS 5/1.2s-1 new)
8    Sec. 1.2s-1. "Wild swine" means feral swine, Eurasian wild
9boar (Sus scrofa, including subspecies), and hybrids between
10feral swine and Eurasian wild boar. "Feral swine" means
11populations or individuals of any swine that are unrestrained
12and are living in a wild or free-roaming environment.
 
13    (520 ILCS 5/2.2)  (from Ch. 61, par. 2.2)
14    Sec. 2.2. This Act shall apply only to the wild birds and
15parts of wild birds (including, but not limited to, their nests
16and eggs), and wild mammals and parts of wild mammals, which
17shall include their green hides, in the State of Illinois, or
18which may be brought into the State.
19    Wildlife protected by this Act, hereby defined as protected
20species, include the following wild species and all wild
21species contained in listed families, including, but not
22limited to, groups of wild species preceding each family name:

 

 

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1(except the House Sparrow, Passer domesticus; European
2Starling, Sturnus vulgaris; and Rock Pigeon, Domestic Pigeon,
3Columba livia; Purple Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyio; or Muscovy
4Duck, Cairina moschata). GAME BIRDS-Ruffed grouse, Bonasa
5umbellus; Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus;
6Northern Bobwhite, Colinus virginianus; Gray Partridge, Perdix
7perdix; Chukar, Alectoris chukar; Ring-necked Pheasant,
8Phasianus colchicus; Greater Prairie Chicken, Tympanuchus
9cupido; Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo. MIGRATORY GAME
10BIRDS-Waterfowl including brant, ducks, geese, and swans,
11Anatidae; wild species of the families Rallidae, Scolopacidae,
12Columbidae, and Corvidae that may be legally hunted as provided
13for in Section 2.18 of this Act. RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY
14NON-GAME BIRDS-Loons, Gaviidae; grebes, Podicipedidae;
15pelicans, Pelecanidae; gannets, Sulidae; cormorants,
16Phalacrocoracidae; anhingas, Anhingidae; frigatebirds,
17Fregatidae; herons, bitterns and egrets, Ardeidae; ibises and
18spoonbills, Threskiornithidae; storks, Ciconiidae; vultures,
19Cathartidae; kites, hawks, ospreys, and eagles, Accipitridae;
20falcons, merlins, and kestrels, Falconidae; rails, gallinules,
21and moorhens, which may not be legally hunted, Rallidae;
22cranes, Gruidae; all shorebirds that may not be legally hunted,
23of the families Charadriidae, Scolopacidae, and
24Recurvirostridae gulls, terns, jaegers, skimmers, and
25kittiwakes, Laridae; dovekies and murrelets, Alcidae; doves
26and pigeons, which may not be legally hunted, Columbidae;

 

 

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1cuckoos and anis, Cuculidae; owls, Tytonidae and Strigidae;
2whip-poor-wills, chuck-will's-widows, and nighthawks,
3Caprimulgidae; swifts, Apodidae; hummingbirds, Trochilidae,
4Kingfishers, Alcedinidae; woodpeckers, flickers, and
5sapsuckers, Picidae; kingbirds, pewees, phoebes, and
6flycatchers, Tyrannidae shrikes, Laniidae; vireos, Vireonidae;
7magpies, ravens, and jays, Corvidae; larks, Alaudidae;
8swallows and martins, Hirundinidae; chickadees and titmice,
9Paridae; nuthatches, Sittidae; creepers, Certhiidae; wrens,
10Troglodytidae; kinglets, Regulidae; gnatcatchers, Sylviidae;
11robins, bluebirds, solitaires, veerys, and thrushes, Turdidae;
12mockingbirds, catbirds, and thrashers, Mimidae; pipits,
13Motacillidae; waxwings, Bombycillidae; warblers, parulas,
14redstarts, ovenbirds, waterthrushes, yellowthroats, and chats,
15Parulidae; tanagers, Thraupidae; towhees, longspurs, sparrows,
16buntings, and juncos, Emberizidae; dickcissels, cardinals,
17buntings, and grosbeaks, Cardinalidae; blackbirds,
18meadowlarks, bobolinks, grackles, cowbirds, and orioles,
19Icteridae; grosbeaks, finches, crossbills, redpolls, and
20siskins, Fringillidae. GAME MAMMALS-Woodchuck, Marmota monax;
21Gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis; Fox squirrel, Sciurus
22niger; Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus; Swamp
23rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus; White-tailed deer, Odocoileus
24virginianus. FUR-BEARING MAMMALS-Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus;
25Beaver, Castor canadensis; Raccoon, Procyon lotor; Opossum,
26Didelphis virginiana; Least weasel, Mustela nivalis;

 

 

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1Long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata; Mink, Mustela vison;
2River otter, Lontra canadensis; Striped skunk, Mephitis
3mephitis; Badger, Taxidea taxus; Red fox, Vulpes vulpes; Gray
4fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus; Coyote, Canis latrans; Bobcat,
5Lynx rufus. OTHER MAMMALS-Flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans;
6Red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus; Eastern Woodrat,
7Neotoma floridana; Golden Mouse, Ochrotomys nuttalli; Rice
8Rat, Oryzomys palustris; Franklin's Ground Squirrel,
9Spermophilus franklinii; Bats, Vespertilionidae; Gray wolf,
10Canis lupus; American black bear, Ursus americanus; Cougar,
11Puma concolor, wild swine.
12    It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to take,
13possess, sell, or offer for sale, propagate, or release into
14the wild, any of these wild birds (dead or alive) and parts of
15wild birds (including, but not limited to, their nests and
16eggs), wild mammals (dead or alive) and parts of wild mammals,
17including their green hides contrary to the provisions of this
18Act. However, nothing in this Act shall prohibit bona-fide
19public or state scientific, educational or zoological
20institutions from receiving, holding, and displaying protected
21species that were salvaged or legally obtained.
22    It shall be unlawful for any person to take any other
23living wildlife animal not covered by this Act without the
24permission of the landowner or tenant.
25(Source: P.A. 97-431, eff. 8-16-11; 98-1033, eff. 1-1-15.)
 

 

 

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1    (520 ILCS 5/2.30)  (from Ch. 61, par. 2.30)
2    Sec. 2.30. Except as provided in this Section, it shall be
3unlawful for any person to trap or to hunt with gun, dog, dog
4and gun, or bow and arrow, gray fox, red fox, raccoon, weasel,
5mink, muskrat, badger, bobcat, and opossum except during the
6open season which will be set annually by the Director between
712:01 a.m., November 1 to 12:00 midnight, February 15, both
8inclusive.
9    It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or trap bobcat
10in this State on and after the effective date of this
11amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly in the counties of
12Boone, Bureau, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, DeWitt, DuPage, Ford,
13Grundy, Henry, Iroquois, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake,
14LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Marshall, McHenry, McLean,
15Ogle, Peoria, Piatt, Putnam, Stark, Stephenson, Vermilion,
16Will, Winnebago, and Woodford and north of U.S. Route 36 in
17Edgar and Douglas and north of U.S. Route 36 to the junction
18with Illinois Route 121 and north or east of Illinois Route 121
19in Macon. For the season beginning in 2017, a total number of
20350 bobcats may be hunted or trapped lawfully, or the
21conclusion of the season occurs, whichever is earlier. For the
22season beginning in 2018, a total number of 375 bobcats may be
23hunted or trapped lawfully, or the conclusion of the season
24occurs, whichever is earlier. The changes added to this Section
25by this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, except
26for this sentence, are inoperative on and after June 30, 2019.

 

 

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1    It is unlawful to pursue any fur-bearing mammal with a dog
2or dogs between the hours of sunset and sunrise during the 10
3day period preceding the opening date of the raccoon hunting
4season and the 10 day period following the closing date of the
5raccoon hunting season except that the Department may issue
6field trial permits in accordance with Section 2.34 of this
7Act. A non-resident from a state with more restrictive
8fur-bearer pursuit regulations for any particular species than
9provided for that species in this Act may not pursue that
10species in Illinois except during the period of time that
11Illinois residents are allowed to pursue that species in the
12non-resident's state of residence. Hound running areas
13approved by the Department shall be exempt from the provisions
14of this Section.
15    It shall be unlawful to take beaver, river otter, weasel,
16mink, or muskrat except during the open season set annually by
17the Director, and then, only with traps, except that a firearm,
18pistol, or airgun of a caliber not larger than a .22 long rifle
19may be used to remove the animal from the trap.
20    It shall be unlawful for any person to trap beaver or river
21otter with traps except during the open season which will be
22set annually by the Director between 12:01 a.m., November 1st
23and 12:00 midnight, March 31, both inclusive.
24    Coyote may be taken by trapping methods only during the
25period from September 1 to March 1, both inclusive, and by
26hunting methods at any time.

 

 

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1    Wild swine may be taken by hunting methods at any time.
2    Striped skunk may be taken by trapping methods only during
3the period from September 1 to March 1, both inclusive, and by
4hunting methods at any time.
5    Muskrat may be taken by trapping methods during an open
6season set annually by the Director.
7    For the purpose of taking fur-bearing mammals, the State
8may be divided into management zones by administrative rule.
9    It shall be unlawful to take or possess more than the
10season limit or possession limit of fur-bearing mammals that
11shall be set annually by the Director. The season limit for
12bobcat shall not exceed one bobcat per permit. Possession
13limits shall not apply to fur buyers, tanners, manufacturers,
14and taxidermists, as defined by this Act, who possess
15fur-bearing mammals in accordance with laws governing such
16activities.
17    Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the taking or
18possessing of fur-bearing mammals found dead or
19unintentionally killed by a vehicle along a roadway during the
20open season provided the person who possesses such fur-bearing
21mammals has all appropriate licenses, stamps, or permits; the
22season for which the species possessed is open; and that such
23possession and disposal of such fur-bearing mammals is
24otherwise subject to the provisions of this Section.
25    The provisions of this Section are subject to modification
26by administrative rule.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 99-33, eff. 1-1-16; 100-524, eff. 9-22-17;
2100-779, eff. 8-10-18.)
 
3    (520 ILCS 5/2.33)  (from Ch. 61, par. 2.33)
4    Sec. 2.33. Prohibitions.
5    (a) It is unlawful to carry or possess any gun in any State
6refuge unless otherwise permitted by administrative rule.
7    (b) It is unlawful to use or possess any snare or
8snare-like device, deadfall, net, or pit trap to take any
9species, except that snares not powered by springs or other
10mechanical devices may be used to trap fur-bearing mammals, in
11water sets only, if at least one-half of the snare noose is
12located underwater at all times.
13    (c) It is unlawful for any person at any time to take a
14wild mammal protected by this Act from its den by means of any
15mechanical device, spade, or digging device or to use smoke or
16other gases to dislodge or remove such mammal except as
17provided in Section 2.37.
18    (d) It is unlawful to use a ferret or any other small
19mammal which is used in the same or similar manner for which
20ferrets are used for the purpose of frightening or driving any
21mammals from their dens or hiding places.
22    (e) (Blank).
23    (f) It is unlawful to use spears, gigs, hooks or any like
24device to take any species protected by this Act.
25    (g) It is unlawful to use poisons, chemicals or explosives

 

 

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1for the purpose of taking any species protected by this Act.
2    (h) It is unlawful to hunt adjacent to or near any peat,
3grass, brush or other inflammable substance when it is burning.
4    (i) It is unlawful to take, pursue or intentionally harass
5or disturb in any manner any wild birds or mammals by use or
6aid of any vehicle or conveyance, except as permitted by the
7Code of Federal Regulations for the taking of waterfowl. It is
8also unlawful to use the lights of any vehicle or conveyance or
9any light from or any light connected to the vehicle or
10conveyance in any area where wildlife may be found except in
11accordance with Section 2.37 of this Act; however, nothing in
12this Section shall prohibit the normal use of headlamps for the
13purpose of driving upon a roadway. Striped skunk, opossum, red
14fox, gray fox, raccoon, bobcat, wild swine, and coyote may be
15taken during the open season by use of a small light which is
16worn on the body or hand-held by a person on foot and not in any
17vehicle.
18    (j) It is unlawful to use any shotgun larger than 10 gauge
19while taking or attempting to take any of the species protected
20by this Act.
21    (k) It is unlawful to use or possess in the field any
22shotgun shell loaded with a shot size larger than lead BB or
23steel T (.20 diameter) when taking or attempting to take any
24species of wild game mammals (excluding white-tailed deer),
25wild game birds, migratory waterfowl or migratory game birds
26protected by this Act, except white-tailed deer as provided for

 

 

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1in Section 2.26 and other species as provided for by subsection
2(l) or administrative rule.
3    (l) It is unlawful to take any species of wild game, except
4white-tailed deer and fur-bearing mammals, with a shotgun
5loaded with slugs unless otherwise provided for by
6administrative rule.
7    (m) It is unlawful to use any shotgun capable of holding
8more than 3 shells in the magazine or chamber combined, except
9on game breeding and hunting preserve areas licensed under
10Section 3.27 and except as permitted by the Code of Federal
11Regulations for the taking of waterfowl. If the shotgun is
12capable of holding more than 3 shells, it shall, while being
13used on an area other than a game breeding and shooting
14preserve area licensed pursuant to Section 3.27, be fitted with
15a one piece plug that is irremovable without dismantling the
16shotgun or otherwise altered to render it incapable of holding
17more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber, combined.
18    (n) It is unlawful for any person, except persons who
19possess a permit to hunt from a vehicle as provided in this
20Section and persons otherwise permitted by law, to have or
21carry any gun in or on any vehicle, conveyance or aircraft,
22unless such gun is unloaded and enclosed in a case, except that
23at field trials authorized by Section 2.34 of this Act,
24unloaded guns or guns loaded with blank cartridges only, may be
25carried on horseback while not contained in a case, or to have
26or carry any bow or arrow device in or on any vehicle unless

 

 

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1such bow or arrow device is unstrung or enclosed in a case, or
2otherwise made inoperable.
3    (o) (Blank).
4    (p) It is unlawful to take game birds, migratory game birds
5or migratory waterfowl with a rifle, pistol, revolver or
6airgun.
7    (q) It is unlawful to fire a rifle, pistol, revolver or
8airgun on, over or into any waters of this State, including
9frozen waters.
10    (r) It is unlawful to discharge any gun or bow and arrow
11device along, upon, across, or from any public right-of-way or
12highway in this State.
13    (s) It is unlawful to use a silencer or other device to
14muffle or mute the sound of the explosion or report resulting
15from the firing of any gun.
16    (t) It is unlawful for any person to take or attempt to
17take any species of wildlife or parts thereof, intentionally or
18wantonly allow a dog to hunt, within or upon the land of
19another, or upon waters flowing over or standing on the land of
20another, or to knowingly shoot a gun or bow and arrow device at
21any wildlife physically on or flying over the property of
22another without first obtaining permission from the owner or
23the owner's designee. For the purposes of this Section, the
24owner's designee means anyone who the owner designates in a
25written authorization and the authorization must contain (i)
26the legal or common description of property for such authority

 

 

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1is given, (ii) the extent that the owner's designee is
2authorized to make decisions regarding who is allowed to take
3or attempt to take any species of wildlife or parts thereof,
4and (iii) the owner's notarized signature. Before enforcing
5this Section the law enforcement officer must have received
6notice from the owner or the owner's designee of a violation of
7this Section. Statements made to the law enforcement officer
8regarding this notice shall not be rendered inadmissible by the
9hearsay rule when offered for the purpose of showing the
10required notice.
11    (u) It is unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm
12for the purpose of taking any of the species protected by this
13Act, or hunt with gun or dog, or intentionally or wantonly
14allow a dog to hunt, within 300 yards of an inhabited dwelling
15without first obtaining permission from the owner or tenant,
16except that while trapping, hunting with bow and arrow, hunting
17with dog and shotgun using shot shells only, or hunting with
18shotgun using shot shells only, or providing outfitting
19services under a waterfowl outfitter permit, or on licensed
20game breeding and hunting preserve areas, as defined in Section
213.27, on federally owned and managed lands and on Department
22owned, managed, leased, or controlled lands, a 100 yard
23restriction shall apply.
24    (v) It is unlawful for any person to remove fur-bearing
25mammals from, or to move or disturb in any manner, the traps
26owned by another person without written authorization of the

 

 

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1owner to do so.
2    (w) It is unlawful for any owner of a dog to knowingly or
3wantonly allow his or her dog to pursue, harass or kill deer,
4except that nothing in this Section shall prohibit the tracking
5of wounded deer with a dog in accordance with the provisions of
6Section 2.26 of this Code.
7    (x) It is unlawful for any person to wantonly or carelessly
8injure or destroy, in any manner whatsoever, any real or
9personal property on the land of another while engaged in
10hunting or trapping thereon.
11    (y) It is unlawful to hunt wild game protected by this Act
12between one half hour after sunset and one half hour before
13sunrise, except that hunting hours between one half hour after
14sunset and one half hour before sunrise may be established by
15administrative rule for fur-bearing mammals.
16    (z) It is unlawful to take any game bird (excluding wild
17turkeys and crippled pheasants not capable of normal flight and
18otherwise irretrievable) protected by this Act when not flying.
19Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a person from carrying
20an uncased, unloaded shotgun in a boat, while in pursuit of a
21crippled migratory waterfowl that is incapable of normal
22flight, for the purpose of attempting to reduce the migratory
23waterfowl to possession, provided that the attempt is made
24immediately upon downing the migratory waterfowl and is done
25within 400 yards of the blind from which the migratory
26waterfowl was downed. This exception shall apply only to

 

 

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1migratory game birds that are not capable of normal flight.
2Migratory waterfowl that are crippled may be taken only with a
3shotgun as regulated by subsection (j) of this Section using
4shotgun shells as regulated in subsection (k) of this Section.
5    (aa) It is unlawful to use or possess any device that may
6be used for tree climbing or cutting, while hunting fur-bearing
7mammals, excluding coyotes.
8    (bb) It is unlawful for any person, except licensed game
9breeders, pursuant to Section 2.29 to import, carry into, or
10possess alive in this State any species of wildlife taken
11outside of this State, without obtaining permission to do so
12from the Director.
13    (cc) It is unlawful for any person to have in his or her
14possession any freshly killed species protected by this Act
15during the season closed for taking.
16    (dd) It is unlawful to take any species protected by this
17Act and retain it alive except as provided by administrative
18rule.
19    (ee) It is unlawful to possess any rifle while in the field
20during gun deer season except as provided in Section 2.26 and
21administrative rules.
22    (ff) It is unlawful for any person to take any species
23protected by this Act, except migratory waterfowl, during the
24gun deer hunting season in those counties open to gun deer
25hunting, unless he or she wears, when in the field, a cap and
26upper outer garment of a solid blaze orange color or solid

 

 

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1blaze pink color, with such articles of clothing displaying a
2minimum of 400 square inches of blaze orange or solid blaze
3pink color material.
4    (gg) It is unlawful during the upland game season for any
5person to take upland game with a firearm unless he or she
6wears, while in the field, a cap of solid blaze orange color or
7solid blaze pink color. For purposes of this Act, upland game
8is defined as Bobwhite Quail, Hungarian Partridge, Ring-necked
9Pheasant, Eastern Cottontail and Swamp Rabbit.
10    (hh) It shall be unlawful to kill or cripple any species
11protected by this Act for which there is a bag limit without
12making a reasonable effort to retrieve such species and include
13such in the bag limit. It shall be unlawful for any person
14having control over harvested game mammals, game birds, or
15migratory game birds for which there is a bag limit to wantonly
16waste or destroy the usable meat of the game, except this shall
17not apply to wildlife taken under Sections 2.37 or 3.22 of this
18Code. For purposes of this subsection, "usable meat" means the
19breast meat of a game bird or migratory game bird and the hind
20ham and front shoulders of a game mammal. It shall be unlawful
21for any person to place, leave, dump, or abandon a wildlife
22carcass or parts of it along or upon a public right-of-way or
23highway or on public or private property, including a waterway
24or stream, without the permission of the owner or tenant. It
25shall not be unlawful to discard game meat that is determined
26to be unfit for human consumption.

 

 

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1    (ii) This Section shall apply only to those species
2protected by this Act taken within the State. Any species or
3any parts thereof, legally taken in and transported from other
4states or countries, may be possessed within the State, except
5as provided in this Section and Sections 2.35, 2.36 and 3.21.
6    (jj) (Blank).
7    (kk) Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the
8Director from issuing permits to paraplegics or to other
9persons with disabilities who meet the requirements set forth
10in administrative rule to shoot or hunt from a vehicle as
11provided by that rule, provided that such is otherwise in
12accord with this Act.
13    (ll) Nothing contained in this Act shall prohibit the
14taking of aquatic life protected by the Fish and Aquatic Life
15Code or birds and mammals protected by this Act, except deer
16and fur-bearing mammals, from a boat not camouflaged or
17disguised to alter its identity or to further provide a place
18of concealment and not propelled by sail or mechanical power.
19However, only shotguns not larger than 10 gauge nor smaller
20than .410 bore loaded with not more than 3 shells of a shot
21size no larger than lead BB or steel T (.20 diameter) may be
22used to take species protected by this Act.
23    (mm) Nothing contained in this Act shall prohibit the use
24of a shotgun, not larger than 10 gauge nor smaller than a 20
25gauge, with a rifled barrel.
26    (nn) It shall be unlawful to possess any species of

 

 

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1wildlife or wildlife parts taken unlawfully in Illinois, any
2other state, or any other country, whether or not the wildlife
3or wildlife parts is indigenous to Illinois. For the purposes
4of this subsection, the statute of limitations for unlawful
5possession of wildlife or wildlife parts shall not cease until
62 years after the possession has permanently ended.
7(Source: P.A. 99-33, eff. 1-1-16; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-642,
8eff. 7-28-16; 100-489, eff. 9-8-17; 100-949, eff. 1-1-19.)
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.