AB 737

Current law prohibits certain persons from possessing a firearm. A felon is

prohibited from possessing a firearm subsequent to conviction and certain persons

adjudicated delinquent may not possess a firearm subsequent to adjudication. A

person found not guilty of a felony by reason of mental defect is prohibited from

possessing a firearm subsequent to the not guilty finding. Current law also prohibits

certain persons ordered not to possess a firearm, such as those committed for

treatment for a mental illness, from possessing a firearm while subject to that order.

A person who is enjoined from committing acts of domestic abuse or who is enjoined

from coming into contact with a child is prohibited from possessing a firearm while

the injunction is in effect. Finally, a person who is subject to an order that prohibits

the person from engaging in harassing behavior and from possessing a firearm, is

prohibited from possessing a firearm while the order is in effect.

This bill prohibits a person who, under current law, is prohibited from

possessing a firearm from obtaining or using a license, permit, or other approval

(approval) issued by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) if the approval

authorizes hunting with a firearm. The bill provides that a person who violates this

prohibition is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000. In

addition, the court must revoke all hunting approvals issued to that person by DNR

and prohibit that person from holding such an approval for a period of five years.

Under current law, the statutes for some of the hunting licenses issued by DNR

specify whether firearms, bows and arrows, or crossbows may be used for hunting

under those licenses. For other licenses, the allowable weapon is specified in the

administrative code. This bill clarifies in the statutes which weapons may be used

under the authority of existing hunting licenses. The bill changes the name of a small

game hunting license to a small game hunting general license, changes the name of

a wild turkey hunting license to a wild turkey hunting general license, and changes

the name of a Class A bear license to a Class A bear general license. The bill also

creates three new licenses. The bill creates a small game hunting nonfirearm license,

a wild turkey hunting archery license, and a Class A bear archery license. All three

of these new licenses authorize hunting with a bow and arrow or with a crossbow if

the holder has a permit that authorizes the holder to use a crossbow or if the holder

is a resident senior citizen. The small game hunting nonfirearm license also allows

the holder to hunt with an airgun.