Date of enactment: April 2, 2012
2011 Assembly Bill 311 Date of publication*: April 16, 2012

* Section 991.11, Wisconsin Statutes 2009-10 : Effective date of acts. "Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor's partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication as designated" by the secretary of state [the date of publication may not be more than 10 working days after the date of enactment].

2011 WISCONSIN ACT 168

An Act to repeal 29.089 (3); to renumber and amend 29.591 (2); to amend 27.01 (7) (c) 6., 27.01 (8) (b) 2., 29.053 (3), 29.089 (title), 29.089 (1), 29.089 (2) (intro.), 29.193 (2) (b) 1., 29.193 (2) (b) 3., 29.197 (3), 29.237 (1m), 29.563 (2) (intro.), 29.563 (3) (intro.), 29.563 (6) (intro.), 29.563 (14) (c) 1., 29.597 (1) (a) and 29.597 (1) (c); and to create 15.347 (21), 23.0916 (3m), 29.036, 29.084, 29.089 (1m), 29.193 (2) (c) 5., 29.193 (2) (cd), 29.193 (2) (cr) 4., 29.193 (2) (d) 3., 29.236, 29.563 (4) (a) 3., 29.563 (6) (a) 1m., 29.563 (6m), 29.563 (12) (c) 1m., 29.563 (12m), 29.563 (14) (c) 7., 29.591 (1) (am), 29.591 (2) (b), 29.597 (1m), 29.597 (2) (c), 29.597 (2) (d) and 120.13 (30) of the statutes; relating to: creating a sporting heritage council; programs to encourage hunting, trapping, fishing, and outdoor recreation activities; access to land under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship program; reduced fees for certain hunting, trapping, and fishing approvals; high school credit under and administration of the hunter and trapper education programs; Class D hunting permits issued to certain disabled persons; waiving fishing license requirements for weekend fishing events; hunting, fishing, and trapping in state parks; issuing annual disabled veteran recreation cards; and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.

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

168,1 Section 1. 15.347 (21) of the statutes is created to read:

15.347 (21) Sporting heritage council. (a) There is created in the department of natural resources a sporting heritage council consisting of the following members:

1. The secretary of natural resources, or his or her designee, who shall serve as chairperson.

2. One member, appointed by the governor.

3. Two members of the assembly, appointed by the speaker of the assembly, who may not be members of the same political party.

4. Two members of the senate, appointed by the senate majority leader, who may not be members of the same political party.

5. Five members, appointed by the natural resources board from nominations provided by sporting organizations that have as their primary objective the promotion of hunting, fishing, or trapping. Of the 5 members, one shall represent the interests of deer hunters, one shall represent the interests of bear hunters, one shall represent the interests of bird hunters, one shall represent the interests of anglers, and one shall represent the interests of furbearing animal hunters and trappers.

6. One member, appointed by the executive committee of the conservation congress, who is a member of the conservation congress.

(b) The members of the sporting heritage council appointed under par. (a) 2. to 6. shall be appointed for 3-year terms.

(c) The sporting heritage council shall meet at least one time each year.

168,2 Section 2. 23.0916 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:

23.0916 (3m) Board determinations. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), a determination by the natural resources board under sub. (2) (b) or (c) or (3) (b) or (c) with regard to public access on land or an easement requires 4 or more members of the natural resources board to concur in that determination if the land or easement was acquired on or after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date].

(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a determination by the natural resources board with regard to public access on an easement, if the primary purpose of the easement is to provide public access to a navigable water on which public fishing is allowed.

168,3 Section 3. 27.01 (7) (c) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:

27.01 (7) (c) 6. Any vehicle, except a motor bus, occupied by a person holding a senior citizen recreation card issued under s. 29.624 or an annual disabled veteran recreation card issued under s. 29.236.

168,4 Section 4. 27.01 (8) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

27.01 (8) (b) 2. Any person holding a senior citizen recreation card issued under s. 29.624 or an annual disabled veteran recreation card issued under s. 29.236; or

168,5 Section 5. 29.036 of the statutes is created to read:

29.036 Sporting heritage council. (1) The sporting heritage council shall study, and provide advice and make recommendations to the governor, the natural resources board, and the legislature about, issues relating to hunting, trapping, fishing, and other types of outdoor recreation activities including all of the following:

(a) Ways to improve the recruitment and retention of hunters, trappers, and anglers.

(b) Ways to improve the management and protection of the natural resources of this state for the purposes of hunting, trapping, fishing, and other types of outdoor recreation activities.