SB2906eng 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2906 Engrossed LRB095 19489 RCE 45785 b

AN ACT concerning wildlife.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Fish and Aquatic Life Code is amended by changing Section 20-45 as follows:

(515 ILCS 5/20-45) (from Ch. 56, par. 20-45)

Sec. 20-45. License fees for residents. Fees for licenses for residents of the State of Illinois shall be as follows:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, for sport fishing devices as defined in Section 10-95 or spearing devices as defined in Section 10-110 the fee is $12.50 for individuals 16 to 64 years old, and one-half of the current fishing license fee for individuals age 65 or older, commencing with the 1994 license year.

(b) All residents before using any commercial fishing device shall obtain a commercial fishing license, the fee for which shall be $35. Each and every commercial device used shall be licensed by a resident commercial fisherman as follows:

(1) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction thereof, of seine the fee is $18. For each minnow seine, minnow trap, or net for commercial purposes the fee is $20.

(2) For each device to fish with a 100 hook trot line device, basket trap, hoop net, or dip net the fee is $3.

(3) When used in the waters of Lake Michigan, for the first 2000 lineal feet, or fraction thereof, of gill net the fee is $10; and for each 1000 additional lineal feet, or fraction thereof, the fee is $10. These fees shall apply to all gill nets in use in the water or on drying reels on the shore.

(4) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction thereof, of gill net or trammel net the fee is $18.

(c) Residents of the State of Illinois may obtain a sportsmen's combination license that shall entitle the holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as residents holding a license as described in subsection (a) of this Section and to the same hunting privileges as residents holding a license to hunt all species as described in Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No sportsmen's combination license shall be issued to any individual who would be ineligible for either the fishing or hunting license separately. The sportsmen's combination license fee shall be $18.50. For residents age 65 or older, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a sportsmen's combination license.

(d) For 24 hours of fishing by sport fishing devices as defined in Section 10-95 or by spearing devices as defined in Section 10-110 the fee is $5. This license exempts the licensee from the requirement for a salmon or inland trout stamp. The licenses provided for by this subsection are not required for residents of the State of Illinois who have obtained the license provided for in subsection (a) of this Section.

(e) All residents before using any commercial mussel device shall obtain a commercial mussel license, the fee for which shall be $50.

(f) Residents of this State, upon establishing residency as required by the Department, may obtain a lifetime hunting or fishing license or lifetime sportsmen's combination license which shall entitle the holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as residents holding a license as described in paragraph (a) of this Section and to the same hunting privileges as residents holding a license to hunt all species as described in Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No lifetime sportsmen's combination license shall be issued to or retained by any individual who would be ineligible for either the fishing or hunting license separately, either upon issuance, or in any year a violation would subject an individual to have either or both fishing or hunting privileges rescinded. The lifetime hunting and fishing license fees shall be as follows:

(1) Lifetime fishing: 30 x the current fishing license fee.

(2) Lifetime hunting: 30 x the current hunting license fee.

(3) Lifetime sportsmen's combination license: 30 x the current sportsmen's combination license fee.

Lifetime licenses shall not be refundable. A $10 fee shall be charged for reissuing any lifetime license. The Department may establish rules and regulations for the issuance and use of lifetime licenses and may suspend or revoke any lifetime license issued under this Section for violations of those rules or regulations or other provisions under this Code or the Wildlife Code. Individuals under 16 years of age who possess a lifetime hunting or sportsmen's combination license shall have in their possession, while in the field, a certificate of competency as required under Section 3.2 of the Wildlife Code. Any lifetime license issued under this Section shall not exempt individuals from obtaining additional stamps or permits required under the provisions of this Code or the Wildlife Code. Individuals required to purchase additional stamps shall sign the stamps and have them in their possession while fishing or hunting with a lifetime license. All fees received from the issuance of lifetime licenses shall be deposited in the Fish and Wildlife Endowment Fund.

Except for licenses issued under subsection (e) of this Section, all licenses provided for in this Section shall expire on March 31 of each year, except that the license provided for in subsection (d) of this Section shall expire 24 hours after the effective date and time listed on the face of the license.

Any person on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States who (i) is now and was at the time of entering the Armed Forces a resident of Illinois, (ii) entered the Armed Forces from this State, and (iii) is presently on leave from the Armed Forces may fish as permitted by this Code without procuring a license, but only during such period of time and only with sport fishing devices as are permitted by this Code.

All individuals required to have and failing to have the license provided for in subsection (a) or (d) of this Section shall be fined according to the provisions of Section 20-35 of this Code.

All individuals required to have and failing to have the licenses provided for in subsections (b) and (e) of this Section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 89-66, eff. 1-1-96; 90-225, eff. 7-25-97; 90-743, eff. 1-1-99.)

Section 10. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section 3.1 as follows:

(520 ILCS 5/3.1) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.1)

Sec. 3.1. License and stamps required.

(a) Before any person shall take or attempt to take any of the species protected by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall first have procured and possess a valid hunting license, except as provided in Section 3.1-5 of this Code.

Before any person 16 years of age or older shall take or attempt to take any bird of the species defined as migratory waterfowl by Section 2.2, including coots, he shall first have procured a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp.

Before any person 16 years of age or older takes, attempts to take, or pursues any species of wildlife protected by this Code, except migratory waterfowl, coots, and hand-reared birds on licensed game breeding and hunting preserve areas and state controlled pheasant hunting areas, he or she shall first obtain a State Habitat Stamp. Disabled veterans and former prisoners of war shall not be required to obtain State Habitat Stamps. Any person who obtained a lifetime license before January 1, 1993, shall not be required to obtain State Habitat Stamps. Income from the sale of State Furbearer Stamps and State Pheasant Stamps received after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1992 shall be deposited into the State Furbearer Fund and State Pheasant Fund, respectively.

Before any person 16 years of age or older shall take, attempt to take, or sell the green hide of any mammal of the species defined as fur-bearing mammals by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall first have procured a State Habitat Stamp.

(b) Before any person who is a non-resident of the State of Illinois shall take or attempt to take any of the species protected by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall, unless specifically exempted by law, first procure a non-resident license as provided by this Act for the taking of any wild game.

Before a nonresident shall take or attempt to take white-tailed deer, he shall first have procured a Deer Hunting Permit as defined in Section 2.26 of this Code.

Before a nonresident shall take or attempt to take wild turkeys, he shall have procured a Wild Turkey Hunting Permit as defined in Section 2.11 of this Code.

(c) The owners residing on, or bona fide tenants of, farm lands and their children, parents, brothers, and sisters actually permanently residing on their lands shall have the right to hunt any of the species protected by Section 2.2 upon their lands and waters without procuring hunting licenses; but the hunting shall be done only during periods of time and with devices and by methods as are permitted by this Act. Any person on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States who is now and who was at the time of entering the Armed Forces a resident of Illinois and who entered the Armed Forces from this State, and who is presently on ordinary leave from the Armed Forces, and any resident of Illinois who is disabled may hunt any of the species protected by Section 2.2 without procuring a hunting license, but the hunting shall be done only during such periods of time and with devices and by methods as are permitted by this Act. For the purpose of this Section a person is disabled when that person has a Type 1 or Type 4, Class 2 disability as defined in Section 4A of the Illinois Identification Card Act. For purposes of this Section, an Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card issued pursuant to the Illinois Identification Card Act indicating that the person named has a Type 1 or Type 4, Class 2 disability shall be adequate documentation of the disability.

(d) A courtesy non-resident license, permit, or stamp for taking game may be issued at the discretion of the Director, without fee, to any person officially employed in the game and fish or conservation department of another state or of the United States who is within the State to assist or consult or cooperate with the Director; or to the officials of other states, the United States, foreign countries, or officers or representatives of conservation organizations or publications while in the State as guests of the Governor or Director. The Director may provide to nonresident participants and official gunners at field trials an exemption from licensure while participating in a field trial.

(e) State Migratory Waterfowl Stamps shall be required for those persons qualifying under subsections (c) and (d) who intend to hunt migratory waterfowl, including coots, to the extent that hunting licenses of the various types are authorized and required by this Section for those persons.

(f) Registration in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program shall be required for those persons who are required to have a hunting license before taking or attempting to take any bird of the species defined as migratory game birds by Section 2.2, except that this subsection shall not apply to crows in this State or hand-reared birds on licensed game breeding and hunting preserve areas, for which an open season is established by this Act. Persons registering with the Program must carry proof of registration with them while migratory bird hunting.

The Department shall publish suitable prescribed regulations pertaining to registration by the migratory bird hunter in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program.

(Source: P.A. 94-1024, eff. 7-14-06.)