AB 44

Under current law, with certain exceptions, a person who holds a hunting,

fishing, or trapping approval issued by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

may not transfer that approval to another person. Under one exception to this

general prohibition, the holder of certain approvals may transfer those approvals to

a person who is under 18 years of age (minor). Among the approvals that may be

transferred to a minor is a bonus deer hunting permit, a bobcat hunting and trapping

permit, a wild turkey hunting license, a Class A bear license, and a sturgeon spearing

license. The holder of the approval must apply to DNR to transfer the approval to

the minor and if the application is made within a specified period of time, the minor

has not been previously transferred that type of approval, and the minor is otherwise

eligible to use the approval, the approval may be transferred. Current law prohibits

the holder of an approval from receiving any payment for transfer of an approval.

Current law also provides that if the approval is one that is administered under a

cumulative preference system, the transferee retains all preference points that were

previously accumulated. DNR administers a cumulative preference system for

certain approvals where the number of applicants exceeds the number of approvals

available. The more preference points an applicant has, the higher the priority he

or she is given in the issuance of the approval.

This bill expands the exceptions to the general prohibition against the transfer

of approvals. The bill allows the transfer of the same approvals that may be

transferred to a minor under current law to be transferred to a person with a

disability. The bill defines such a person to be a person who has certain permanent

disabilities such as those that require the person to use a wheelchair; a person who

has certain temporary disabilities that restrict mobility; a person who has an

amputation or permanent substantial loss of his or her shoulder, arm, or hand; or a

person who is visually handicapped. Under the bill, the same requirements that

apply to the transfer of an approval to a minor under current law apply to the transfer

of an approval to a person with a disability.

This bill also allows a person who is issued a Class A bear license to transfer

that license to a person who was awarded a Purple Heart or to a person who is serving

on active duty in the U.S. armed forces (service member). Under the bill, the same

requirements that apply to the transfer of an approval to a minor under current law

apply to the transfer of a Class A bear license to a Purple Heart recipient or service

member.