SB 226

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administers

the laws regulating hunting, fishing, and trapping. This bill makes various changes

to those laws.

Fees

Current law requires, with certain exceptions, a person to obtain a license,

permit, or other approval (approval) from DNR in order to hunt or trap wild animals

or to fish. The fees for these approvals vary depending on the type of animal for which

hunting or trapping is authorized under the approval, the age of the applicant for the

approval, and whether the approval is issued to a resident of this state or to a

nonresident. Generally, fees for nonresident approvals are higher than fees for

resident approvals. The fees for fishing approvals also vary based on similar factors.

This bill requires DNR to charge a reduced fee for certain hunting approvals,

including small game, deer, and wild turkey licenses, issued to persons who have not

received that type of approval in any of the ten years preceding the date on which the

application for the approval is made. For these approvals issued to residents of this

state, the bill requires DNR to charge a reduced fee of $4.25 and for these approvals

issued to nonresidents, the bill requires DNR to charge a reduced fee of one-half of

the fee that would otherwise apply for the approval.

Hunter and trapper education

Current law requires DNR to establish a hunter education program, a bow

hunter education program, and a trapper education program and to issue a

certificate of accomplishment to a person who successfully completes the course of

instruction under the respective program. Generally, with certain exceptions, a

person may not obtain a hunting or trapping approval unless the person has been

issued a certificate of accomplishment by DNR under the relevant hunter education

or trapper education program. This bill requires school boards to award one-half

high school credit to a pupil who successfully completes the hunter education

program, the bow hunter education program, or the trapper education program.

This bill also requires DNR to offer an online course of instruction under the

hunter education program and under the trapper education program for persons who

are at least 18 years old. In addition, the bill provides that if the online course of

instruction under the hunter education program or the trapper education program

requires field testing or completion of a written test, DNR must make that testing

available at each DNR service center at least bimonthly for persons who take the

online course of instruction.

Hunter and trapper recruitment

This bill requires DNR to establish a program to recognize people who recruit

others as hunters and trappers. The bill requires the program to include a

component under which a person who is issued his or her first hunting or trapping

approval may designate one person as the person who encouraged the applicant to