AB758: Bill Text

LRB-3958/5

MGG:cjs:pg

2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Assembly BILL 758

January 29, 2002 - Introduced by Representatives Gunderson, Bies, Suder, Hines, Gronemus, Ainsworth, Krawczyk, F. Lasee, Gundrum, Seratti, Sykora, Ott, Petrowski, Ryba, Grothman, Kreuser and Pettis, cosponsored by Senators Shibilski, Welch, Plache and Wirch. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

AB758,1,3 An Act to renumber and amend 29.184 (1); to amend 29.024 (2) (d) and 29.184 (1) (title); and to create 29.184 (1) (intro.), 29.184 (1) (b) and 29.184 (6m) of the statutes; relating to: bear hunting by certain minors.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the department of natural resources (DNR) issues two types of bear hunting licenses. A Class A bear license allows the license holder to shoot and kill bear. A Class B bear license allows the license holder to assist a Class A license holder in pursuing bear, to bait bear, and to train dogs to pursue bear, but it does not allow the license holder to actually shoot at or kill bear. DNR administers a cumulative preference system for issuing Class A bear licenses if the number of applicants for the licenses exceeds the number of licenses available. The more preference points an applicant has, the higher priority he or she is given in the issuances of the Class A licenses.

This bill allows a person who is issued a Class A bear license to transfer that license to a person who is at least 12 years old but under the age of 18. The minor may then use the license to pursue, bait, and hunt bear as authorized by a Class A bear license. The bill provides that the minor may be the transferee of a Class A bear license only once during the time he or she is a minor. The transfer of a license to minor does not affect the number of preference points that the minor may have previously acquired under the cumulative preference system. The bill allows both residents and nonresidents to transfer Class A bear licenses and allows both residents and nonresident minors to be the transferees. No fee in addition to the original fee paid by the transferor of the license is required except that if a resident transfers a license to a nonresident minor, the resident must pay a fee equal to the difference between the fees for the nonresident and resident license. There is no rebate of the fee if a nonresident transfers a license to a resident minor.

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:

AB758, s. 1 Section 1. 29.024 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB758,2,4 29.024 (2) (d) Except as provided under s. 29.184 (6m) or 29.519 (2) (d) or by rule, no person may transfer his or her approval or permit the use of any approval by any other person.

AB758, s. 2 Section 2. 29.184 (1) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB758,2,6 29.184 (1) (title) Definition. Definitions.

AB758, s. 3 Section 3. 29.184 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

AB758,2,8 29.184 (1) (intro.) In this section:

AB758, s. 4 Section 4. 29.184 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 29.184 (1) (a) and amended to read:

AB758,2,13 29.184 (1) (a) Notwithstanding s. 29.001 (42), in this section "hunt bear" means to shoot, shoot at, take, catch or kill a bear or pursue, with or without the use of dogs, a bear for the purpose of shooting, shooting at, taking, catching or killing the bear.

AB758, s. 5 Section 5. 29.184 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB758,2,16 29.184 (1) (b) "Minor" means a person who is at least 12 years of age but under 18 years of age.

AB758, s. 6 Section 6. 29.184 (6m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB758,3,4 29.184 (6m) (a) Upon application by a holder of a Class A bear license to transfer the license to a minor, and upon the payment of any fee required under par. (b), the department shall transfer the license to the minor if the application is made no later than the August 1st immediately preceding the open season for the hunting of bear to which the license applies and if the minor has not been previously transferred a license under this subsection.

AB758,3,8 (b) If the holder of a Class A bear license is a resident and the holder applies to transfer the license to a nonresident, the holder shall pay, at the time of application, the difference between the fee for a Class A license to a resident and the fee a for Class A license to a nonresident.

AB758,3,11 (c) Notwithstanding sub. (6) (b), a minor who is transferred a Class A bear license under this subsection shall retain all preference points that he or she has previously accumulated.

AB758,3,12 (End)