AB694: Bill Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 694

November 12, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Skowronski, Milroy, Mursau, Andraca, Billings, Bowen, Cabrera, Conley, Considine, Doyle, Drake, Hebl, Hesselbein, B. Meyers, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Subeck and Vruwink, cosponsored by Senators Bewley, Smith, Agard, Johnson, Ringhand and Larson. Referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage.

AB694,1,2 An Act to renumber and amend 29.197 (3); and to create 29.197 (3) (b) and (c) of the statutes; relating to: free fishing weekend for veterans.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to designate the fourth full weekend in July as a special event weekend during which DNR must waive, for veterans, the requirement that persons be issued fishing licenses and pay the applicable fees in order to fish in the waters of this state. Under current law, DNR must designate two such special event weekends per year that apply to all persons, one of which must be the third full weekend in January. For all special event weekends, current law, and the bill, require DNR to designate, by rule, to which inland or outlying waters the waivers apply.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB694,1 Section 1. 29.197 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 29.197 (3) (a) and amended to read:

AB694,2,5 29.197 (3) (a) In Subject to pars. (b) and (c), in addition to any special event or program sponsored under sub. (2), the department shall, by rule, designate 2 3 special event weekends per year during which it shall waive the requirement that persons be issued fishing licenses and pay the applicable fees in order to fish in the waters of this state. The department shall designate the 3rd full weekend in January as one of the special event weekends. The department shall, by rule, designate to which inland or outlying waters these waivers shall apply.

AB694,2 Section 2. 29.197 (3) (b) and (c) of the statutes are created to read:

AB694,2,8 29.197 (3) (b) The department shall designate the 3rd full weekend in January as one of the special event weekends under par. (a).

AB694,2,11 (c) The department shall designate the 4th full weekend in July as one of the special event weekends under par. (a), during which it shall waive the license and fee requirements only for veterans, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) (a) to (f).

AB694,2,12 (End)