SB66: Bill Text

LRB-1964/1

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2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Senate BILL 66

February 28, 2001 - Introduced by Senators Plache, Shibilski and Schultz, cosponsored by Representatives Gunderson, Suder, Ryba, Stone, Plouff, Meyerhofer, Lippert and Pettis. Referred to Committee on Environmental Resources.

SB66,1,4 An Act to renumber and amend 29.184 (6) (b); and to create 29.184 (6) (b) 1. and 29.184 (6) (b) 2. of the statutes; relating to: certain applicants for preference points under the cumulative preference system for issuing Class A bear hunting licenses.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, department of natural resources (DNR) issues two types of bear hunting licenses. A Class A bear hunting license allows the license holder to shoot and kill bear. A Class B bear hunting 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.

Under current law, DNR administers a cumulative preference system for issuing Class A bear licenses if the number of applicants for the license exceeds the number of licenses available. Under the system, an applicant may apply for a license or may apply for only a preference point if he or she is not seeking a license for the upcoming bear hunting season. DNR gives a preference point to each person who applies for a license and to each person who applies for a license but who is not selected. The more preference points an applicant has, the higher priority he or she is given in issuing the licenses. Under current law, an applicant seeking these preference points need not be eligible to receive a hunting license. This bill requires that an applicant seeking these preference points must be at least 12 years old on the first day of the upcoming bear hunting season and be eligible for a hunting license on that date.

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:

SB66, s. 1 Section 1. 29.184 (6) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 29.184 (6) (b) (intro) and amended to read:

SB66,3,2 29.184 (6) (b) Cumulative preference system; random selection. (intro.) If the number of qualified applications for Class A bear licenses exceeds the number of available licenses, the department shall select applicants to be issued Class A bear licenses based upon a cumulative preference system. This system shall establish preference categories for those applicants who applied for but who were not issued Class A bear licenses or bear harvest permits under s. 29.1085 (3) (b), 1993 stats., in the previous season, with higher priority given to those categories with more preference points than those with fewer preference points. For each season, the department shall allow each applicant under the system to apply for a preference point or for a license. The department shall give a preference point to each applicant who applies for a preference point and to each applicant who applies for a license but who is not selected. Applicants who fail to apply for either a preference point or a license at least once during any 3 consecutive years shall lose all previously accumulated preference points. If the number of applicants within a preference category exceeds the number of Class A bear licenses available in the category, the department shall select at random the applicants to be issued licenses within the preference category. Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], an applicant for a preference point must meet all of the following requirements on the first day of the bear hunting season that immediately follows the date of application:

SB66, s. 2 Section 2. 29.184 (6) (b) 1. of the statutes is created to read:

SB66,3,4 29.184 (6) (b) 1. The applicant is at least 12 years old.

SB66, s. 3 Section 3. 29.184 (6) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

SB66,3,6 29.184 (6) (b) 2. The applicant is eligible for an approval authorizing hunting.

SB66,3,7 (End)