SB 587

This bill modifies the disability rating required for a disabled veteran to qualify

for certain authorizations issued by the Department of Natural Resources and for

exemptions from certain admission fees. Under current law, the qualifying disability

rating is either 50 or 70 percent depending on the authorization or exemption. The

bill provides for a qualifying disability rating of 30 percent for these authorizations

and exemptions.

Under current law generally, a person may not operate a vehicle in a state

forest, state park, or state natural area unless the vehicle has a valid vehicle

admission receipt properly displayed. Current law also authorizes DNR to charge a

fee to enter a state trail. Current law provides that vehicle admission receipts and

state trail passes are not required for a state resident who is a veteran and is

receiving compensation benefits for disabilities that result in a disability rating that

is 70 percent or greater.

Under current law, if the number of applicants for wild turkey hunting tags for

a given wild turkey hunting zone or season time period exceeds the number of

available wild turkey hunting tags allocated by DNR for that zone or time period,

DNR must issue wild turkey hunting licenses and tags for that zone or time period

according to a cumulative preference system. However, DNR must issue wild turkey

hunting licenses and tags to a state resident who is a veteran and is receiving

compensation benefits for disabilities that result in a disability rating that is 50

percent or greater without requiring the licenses and tags to be issued according to

the cumulative preference system.

Under current law, upon application from a state resident who is a veteran and

is receiving compensation benefits for disabilities that result in a disability rating

that is 70 percent or greater, DNR must issue the veteran an annual disabled person

fishing license.

Under current law, upon application from a state resident who is a veteran and

is receiving compensation benefits for disabilities that result in a disability rating

that is 50 percent or greater, DNR must issue the veteran a disabled veteran

recreation card. The card entitles the holder to exercise all of the combined rights and

privileges of a resident small game hunting license and a resident fishing license.

The card also serves as a vehicle admission receipt and a state trail pass.

The bill reduces the qualifying disability rating for each of these authorizations

and exemptions to 30 percent.