2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE
November 2, 2011 - Printed by direction of Senate Chief Clerk.
AB311-engrossed,2,6 1An Act to repeal 29.089 (3); to renumber and amend 29.591 (2); to amend
229.089 (title), 29.089 (1), 29.089 (2) (intro.), 27.01 (7) (c) 6., 27.01 (8) (b) 2.,
329.053 (3), 29.193 (2) (b) 1., 29.193 (2) (b) 3., 29.197 (3), 29.237 (1m), 29.563 (2)
4(intro.), 29.563 (3) (intro.), 29.563 (6) (intro.), 29.597 (1) (a) and 29.597 (1) (c);
5and to create 15.347 (21), 29.089 (1m), 23.0916 (3m), 23.0917 (8) (f), 29.036,
629.053 (1m), 29.084, 29.193 (2) (c) 5., 29.193 (2) (cr) 2m., 29.193 (2) (cr) 4., 29.193
7(2) (d) 3., 29.236, 29.563 (4) (a) 3., 29.563 (4) (am), 29.563 (6) (a) 1m., 29.563
8(6m), 29.563 (12) (c) 1m., 29.563 (14) (c) 7., 29.569 (4m), 29.591 (1) (am), 29.591
9(2) (b), 29.597 (1m), 29.597 (2) (c), 29.597 (2) (d) and 120.13 (30) of the statutes;
10relating to: creating a sporting heritage council; programs to encourage
11hunting, trapping, fishing, and outdoor recreation activities; access to land
12under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship program; reduced
13fees for certain hunting, trapping, and fishing approvals; high school credit
14under and administration of the hunter and trapper education programs; Class

1D hunting permits issued to certain disabled persons; waiving fishing license
2requirements for weekend fishing events; hunting, fishing, and trapping in
3state parks; sturgeon spearing license age requirements; issuing disabled
4veteran recreational cards; hunting of waterfowl by holders of Class A hunting
5permits for the disabled; open game fishing seasons; and requiring the exercise
6of rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Engrossment information:
The text of Engrossed 2011 Assembly Bill 311 consists of the following
documents adopted in the assembly on November 1, 2011: Assembly Substitute
Amendment 1 as affected by Assembly Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4 (as affected by
Assembly Amendment 1 thereto), and 7. In engrossing, Sections 1d, 1f, 1j, 1m, 1p,
4m, and 5g were renumbered, respectively, Sections 5ae, 5am, 5as, 5bg, 5br, 4r, and
5h to correct the order of these sections.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB311-engrossed, s. 1 7Section 1. 15.347 (21) of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,2,98 15.347 (21) Sporting heritage council. (a) There is created in the department
9of natural resources a sporting heritage council consisting of the following members:
AB311-engrossed,2,1110 1. The secretary of natural resources, or his or her designee, who shall serve
11as chairperson.
AB311-engrossed,2,1212 2. Two members, appointed by the governor.
AB311-engrossed,2,1413 3. Two members, appointed by the speaker of the assembly, who may not be
14members of the same political party.
AB311-engrossed,2,1615 4. Two members, appointed by the senate majority leader, who may not be
16members of the same political party.
AB311-engrossed,3,7
15. Five members, appointed by the secretary of natural resources from
2nominations provided by sporting organizations that have as their primary objective
3the promotion of hunting or trapping. Of the 5 members, one shall represent the
4interests of deer hunters, one shall represent the interests of bear hunters, one shall
5represent the interests of waterfowl hunters, one shall represent the interests of
6upland game hunters, and one shall represent the interests of furbearing animal
7hunters and trappers.
AB311-engrossed,3,108 6. One member, appointed by the secretary of natural resources from
9nominations provided by a sporting organization that has as its primary objective the
10promotion of fishing.
AB311-engrossed,3,1311 7. Two members, appointed by the secretary of natural resources, each of whom
12has held a conservation patron license for 2 of the 3 license years preceding the date
13of the member's appointment.
AB311-engrossed,3,1514 8. One member, appointed by the executive committee of the conservation
15congress, who is a member of the conservation congress.
AB311-engrossed,3,1716 (b) The members of the sporting heritage council appointed under par. (a) 2. to
178. shall be appointed for 3-year terms.
AB311-engrossed,3,1818 (c) The sporting heritage council shall meet at least 4 times each year.
AB311-engrossed, s. 2 19Section 2. 23.0916 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,3,2420 23.0916 (3m) Board determinations. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), a
21determination by the natural resources board under sub. (2) (b) or (c) or (3) (b) or (c)
22with regard to public access on land or an easement requires 4 or more members of
23the natural resources board to concur in that determination if the land or easement
24was acquired on or after the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date].
AB311-engrossed,4,4
1(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a determination by the natural resources
2board with regard to public access on an easement, if the primary purpose of the
3easement is to provide public access to a navigable water on which public fishing is
4allowed.
AB311-engrossed, s. 3 5Section 3. 23.0917 (8) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,4,96 23.0917 (8) (f) The department may not obligate moneys from the
7appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) to award a grant under sub. (3) or (4) unless
8the department first considers whether the grant will benefit local businesses and
9the economy of this state.
AB311-engrossed, s. 3g 10Section 3g. 27.01 (7) (c) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,4,1311 27.01 (7) (c) 6. Any vehicle, except a motor bus, occupied by a person holding
12a senior citizen recreation card issued under s. 29.624 or a disabled veteran
13recreation card issued under s. 29.236
.
AB311-engrossed, s. 3m 14Section 3m. 27.01 (8) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,4,1615 27.01 (8) (b) 2. Any person holding a senior citizen recreation card issued under
16s. 29.624 or a disabled veteran recreation card issued under s. 29.236; or
AB311-engrossed, s. 4 17Section 4. 29.036 of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,4,21 1829.036 Sporting heritage council. (1) The sporting heritage council shall
19study, and provide advice and make recommendations to the governor, the natural
20resources board, and the legislature about, issues relating to hunting, trapping,
21fishing, and other types of outdoor recreation activities including all of the following:
AB311-engrossed,4,2322 (a) Ways to improve the recruitment and retention of hunters, trappers, and
23anglers.
AB311-engrossed,5,3
1(b) Ways to improve the management and protection of the natural resources
2of this state for the purpose of hunting, trapping, fishing, and other types of outdoor
3recreation activities.
AB311-engrossed,5,54 (c) Ways to encourage youth to participate in outdoor recreation activities
5including ways to implement outdoor recreation programs for youth.
AB311-engrossed,5,76 (d) Ways to improve access to public and private land for hunting, trapping,
7fishing and other types of outdoor recreation activities.
AB311-engrossed,5,88 (e) Ways to improve public access to lakes.
AB311-engrossed,5,99 (f) Ways to increase the availability of public shooting ranges.
AB311-engrossed,5,16 10(2) The sporting heritage council shall prepare a biennial report on the status
11of the recruitment and retention of hunters, trappers, and anglers in this state. The
12sporting heritage council shall submit its initial report under this subsection no later
13than July 1, 2014, and shall submit subsequent reports no later than July 1 of each
14even-numbered year thereafter, to the governor, to the chairperson of the natural
15resources board, and to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for
16distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3).
AB311-engrossed, s. 4m 17Section 4m. 29.053 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,5,1818 29.053 (1m) (a) In this subsection:
AB311-engrossed,5,2019 1. "Northern zone" means the geographic area of this state that is north of USH
2010.
AB311-engrossed,5,2221 2. "Southern zone" means the geographic area of this state that is south of USH
2210.
AB311-engrossed,6,223 (b) Any open fishing season that the department establishes for a type of game
24fish that applies to both the northern zone and the southern zone, shall have an

1ending date in the northern zone that is 7 days later than the ending date for that
2open season in the southern zone.
AB311-engrossed, s. 4r 3Section 4r. 29.053 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,6,114 29.053 (3) The department may modify any requirement of this chapter or
5rules promulgated under it, establish special seasons, authorize the use of special
6equipment or take any other action in order to provide additional hunting and fishing
7opportunities for persons who are physically disabled or visually handicapped and.
8The department
may limit the number of persons involved, except that if the
9department establishes a special season for hunting deer with firearms for persons
10who are physically disabled, the season shall be open to persons who have been
11issued a Class D permit under s. 29.193 (2)
.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5 12Section 5. 29.084 of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,6,18 1329.084 Incentives for recruitment. The department shall establish a
14program to recognize people who recruit others as hunters, trappers, and anglers.
15The program shall include a component under which a person who is issued his or
16her first hunting, trapping, or fishing approval in his or her lifetime may designate
17one person as the person who encouraged the applicant to obtain the license. The
18program shall provide for all of the following:
AB311-engrossed,6,20 19(1) A method for maintaining a record of persons designated as provided under
20this section.
AB311-engrossed,7,7 21(2) A method for issuing a credit to any resident who is designated as provided
22under this section a specified number of times, as determined by the department, in
23any license year. The method shall require the department to allow the recipient of
24the credit to apply the credit in a manner that reduces the fee for an approval that
25is listed under s. 29.563 (2) (a) 1., 2., 4. to 5g., or 7. to 9., (3) (a) 1., or (6) (a) 1. by

1one-half of the fee that would otherwise apply to the approval, rounded up to the
2nearest dollar, that reduces the fee specified in s. 29.563 (4) (a) 1. for a resident sports
3license by $20, or that reduces the fee specified in s. 29.563 (4) (a) 2. for a resident
4conservation patron license by $60. The department may not require a resident to
5be designated more than 5 times in a license year in order to be eligible for a credit
6under this subsection. In this subsection, "license year" means the period between
7April 1 and the following March 31.
AB311-engrossed,7,10 8(3) A method under which a person who is designated as provided under this
9section by more than 20 different people may be entered in a drawing for prizes
10awarded by the department.
AB311-engrossed,7,12 11(4) A method under which a person may donate a prize to the department to
12be awarded in a drawing under sub. (3).
AB311-engrossed, s. 5ae 13Section 5ae. 29.089 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,7,15 1429.089 (title) Hunting, fishing, and trapping on land in state parks and
15state fish hatcheries.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5am 16Section 5am. 29.089 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,7,1817 29.089 (1) Except as provided in sub. (3), no No person may hunt or trap on land
18located in state parks or state fish hatcheries.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5as 19Section 5as. 29.089 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,7,2220 29.089 (1m) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), state parks shall be open to
21hunting, fishing, and trapping by persons who hold the appropriate approvals
22required under this chapter.
AB311-engrossed,7,2423 (b) The department may prohibit hunting, fishing, or trapping in a state park
24or a portion of a state park if any of the following applies:
AB311-engrossed,8,2
11. The department prohibits hunting, fishing, or trapping in a designated use
2area.
AB311-engrossed,8,73 2. The natural resources board determines that prohibiting hunting, fishing,
4or trapping is necessary to protect public safety or to protect a unique animal or plant
5community. A determination to prohibit hunting, fishing, or trapping in a state park
6or a portion of a state park under this subdivision requires 4 or more members of the
7natural resources board to concur in that determination.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5bg 8Section 5bg. 29.089 (2) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin
9Act 35
, is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,8,1310 29.089 (2) (intro.) Except as provided in sub. (3), no No person may have in his
11or her possession or under his or her control a firearm on land located in state parks
12or
state fish hatcheries unless the firearm is unloaded and enclosed within a carrying
13case. This subsection does not apply to any of the following:
AB311-engrossed, s. 5br 14Section 5br. 29.089 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5c 15Section 5c. 29.193 (2) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,8,1816 29.193 (2) (b) 1. The department shall, after investigation and without
17charging a fee, except for the costs of review in par. (c) 3. or (e), issue a Class A, Class
18B or, Class C, or Class D permit to any person, as provided in this subsection.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5e 19Section 5e. 29.193 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,8,2320 29.193 (2) (b) 3. As part of the application for a Class A or, Class B, or Class D
21permit under this subsection, the applicant shall authorize the department by
22written release to examine all medical records regarding the applicant's physical
23disability.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5g 24Section 5g. 29.193 (2) (c) 5. of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,9,3
129.193 (2) (c) 5. The department shall issue a Class D permit to any person with
2an amputation, or permanent substantial loss of function, of one or both arms or one
3or both hands.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5h 4Section 5h. 29.193 (2) (cr) 2m. of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,9,95 29.193 (2) (cr) 2m. a. In this subdivision, "open water" means any portion of a
6navigable water body that does not contain a naturally occurring growth of emergent
7vegetation that is rooted to the bottom and that is of sufficient height and density to
8conceal at least 50 percent of a person who is hunting waterfowl from a boat or from
9a waterfowl blind.
AB311-engrossed,9,1310 b. A Class A permit authorizes the holder to hunt waterfowl from a boat or from
11a waterfowl blind in open water. The holder of the Class A permit may be
12accompanied by up to 2 persons who may hunt waterfowl with the Class A permit
13holder only if they hold the appropriate approvals.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5j 14Section 5j. 29.193 (2) (cr) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,9,1815 29.193 (2) (cr) 4. A person holding a current resident or nonresident deer
16hunting license and a Class D permit may hunt deer of either sex with a firearm only
17during a special season established by the department that is open for hunting deer
18with firearms by disabled persons who hold a permit under this section.
AB311-engrossed, s. 5m 19Section 5m. 29.193 (2) (d) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,9,2520 29.193 (2) (d) 3. A holder of a Class D permit may use an adaptive device, as
21authorized by the department by rule, to facilitate the use of a firearm and may be
22accompanied by a person who is not eligible to apply for a permit under this section.
23The accompanying person may not hunt or carry a firearm, bow, or crossbow unless
24that person has been issued the appropriate approval to do so. The assistance
25rendered by an accompanying person who has not been issued the appropriate

1approval is limited to field dressing, tagging, and retrieving game for the permit
2holder and any other assistance authorized by the department by rule.
AB311-engrossed, s. 6 3Section 6. 29.197 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB311-engrossed,10,114 29.197 (3) Weekend event events. In addition to any special event or program
5sponsored under sub. (2), the department shall, by rule, for a designate 2 special
6event for one weekend weekends per year, during which it shall waive the
7requirement that persons be issued fishing licenses and pay the applicable fees in
8order to fish in the waters of this state. The department shall designate the 3rd full
9weekend in January as one of the special event weekends.
The department shall, by
10rule, designate to which inland or outlying waters this waiver these waivers shall
11apply.
AB311-engrossed, s. 6m 12Section 6m. 29.236 of the statutes is created to read:
AB311-engrossed,10,20 1329.236 Disabled veteran recreation card. (1) The department, subject to
14ss. 29.024 and 54.25 (2) (c) 1. d., shall issue a disabled veteran recreation card to any
15resident who produces evidence that shows that he or she is a veteran, as defined in
1638 USC 101, and is receiving disability compensation benefits under 38 USC 1101
17to 1163 for disabilities that result in a disability rating that is 50 percent or greater
18under 38 USC 1114 or 1134, or is receiving disability compensation benefits due to
19being individually unemployable under 38 CFR 4.16 as authorized under 38 USC
20501
.
AB311-engrossed,11,5 21(2) A disabled veteran recreation card entitles the holder to exercise all of the
22combined rights and privileges conferred by a resident small game hunting license
23and a resident fishing license, subject to all duties, conditions, limitations, and
24restrictions of the licenses. A person may operate any motor vehicle, except a motor
25bus, as defined in s. 340.01 (31), subject to the admission requirements under s. 27.01

1(7) in any vehicle admission area under s. 27.01 (7) without having an admission
2receipt affixed to the vehicle or otherwise displayed and without paying a fee if the
3vehicle has as an occupant a card holder who can present the card upon demand in
4the vehicle admission area. The card permits a card holder to enter Heritage Hill
5state park or a state trail without paying an admission fee.
AB311-engrossed,11,8 6(3) Except as provided in this section, possession of a disabled veteran
7recreation card shall not entitle the holder to obtain any other privileges or services
8for free if the privileges or services may be obtained only through payment of a fee.
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