Senate File 410 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY McKINLEY Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to free deer hunting licenses for active duty 2 military personnel. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2416XS 83 5 av/nh/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 481C.2A, subsection 1, paragraph d, 1 2 Code 2009, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 d. A producer who enters into a depredation agreement with 1 4 the department of natural resources shall be issued a set of 1 5 authorization numbers. Each authorization number authorizes a 1 6residenthunter to obtain a depredation license that is valid 1 7 only for taking antlerless deer on the land designated in the 1 8 producer's depredation plan. A producer may transfer an 1 9 authorization number issued to that producer to a resident 1 10 hunter or to a person who is on active duty with the armed 1 11 forces of the United States, who has permission to hunt on the 1 12 land for which the authorization number is valid. An 1 13 authorization number shall be valid to obtain a depredation 1 14 license in any season.The provisions of this paragraph shall 1 15 be implemented by August 15, 2008.Atransfereeresident 1 16 hunter who receives an authorization number pursuant to this 1 17 paragraph "d" shall be otherwise qualified to hunt deer in 1 18 this state, have a hunting license, pay the wildlife habitat 1 19 fee, and pay the one dollar fee for the purpose of the deer 1 20 herd population management program. A military person who 1 21 receives an authorization number pursuant to this paragraph 1 22 shall be otherwise qualified to hunt in this state but is not 1 23 required to have a hunting license and is not required to pay 1 24 the wildlife habitat fee or the fee for the purpose of deer 1 25 herd population management. The military person shall carry 1 26 the person's leave papers and the deer depredation license 1 27 while hunting. A producer who transfers an authorization 1 28 number to a military person pursuant to this paragraph shall 1 29 not accept any money, service, or other valuable consideration 1 30 for the transfer of the authorization number to such a person. 1 31 The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A as 1 32 necessary for the administration of this paragraph. 1 33 Sec. 2. Section 481C.2A, subsection 7, Code 2009, is 1 34 amended to read as follows: 1 35 7. The department shall conduct outreach programs for 2 1 farmers and farm and commodity organizations that explain the 2 2 deer depredation management program. The department shall 2 3 develop, by rule, a master hunter program and maintain a list 2 4 of master hunters who are available to assist producers in the 2 5 deer depredation management program by increasing the harvest 2 6 of antlerless deer on the producer's property. The department 2 7 shall also conduct outreach programs for military personnel 2 8 that explain the opportunity for such persons to obtain a free 2 9 deer depredation license or a landowner license pursuant to 2 10 section 483A.24, subsection 2, paragraph "g". The department 2 11 shall utilize the master hunter list and the department's deer 2 12 hunter registry (hunters for farmers) on its internet website 2 13 to match landowners and producers with willing resident 2 14 hunters and active duty military personnel. 2 15 Sec. 3. Section 483A.24, subsection 2, Code 2009, is 2 16 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 17 NEW PARAGRAPH. g. The owner or tenant of a farm unit may 2 18 transfer any deer hunting license received under this 2 19 subsection to a person who is on active duty with the armed 2 20 forces of the United States. A military person who receives a 2 21 free deer hunting license pursuant to this paragraph shall be 2 22 otherwise qualified to hunt in this state but is not required 2 23 to have a hunting license and is not required to pay the 2 24 wildlife habitat fee or the fee for the purpose of deer herd 2 25 population management. The military person shall carry the 2 26 person's leave papers and deer hunting license while hunting. 2 27 A free deer hunting license transferred pursuant to this 2 28 paragraph is valid only for the farm unit for which it was 2 29 issued by the department. A landowner or tenant who transfers 2 30 a deer hunting license pursuant to this paragraph shall not 2 31 accept any money, service, or other valuable consideration for 2 32 the transfer of the license to such a military person. The 2 33 commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A as 2 34 necessary for the administration of this paragraph. 2 35 EXPLANATION 3 1 This bill provides free deer hunting licenses for active 3 2 duty military personnel. 3 3 Code section 481C.2A(1)(d) is amended to provide that a 3 4 producer of crops, horticultural products, trees, or nursery 3 5 stock, who enters into a depredation agreement with the 3 6 department of natural resources may transfer an authorization 3 7 number that person receives to obtain a depredation license to 3 8 take antlerless deer to a military person who is on active 3 9 duty with the armed forces of the United States. Currently, a 3 10 producer can only transfer such an authorization number to a 3 11 resident hunter. A military person who obtains a depredation 3 12 license pursuant to this provision must be otherwise qualified 3 13 to hunt in this state but is not required to have a hunting 3 14 license, pay the wildlife habitat fee, or the fee for the 3 15 purpose of deer herd population management. The license is 3 16 valid for use only on the land designated in the producer's 3 17 depredation plan with the department. The producer is not 3 18 allowed to accept any payment for the transfer of an 3 19 authorization number to a military person. 3 20 Code section 481C.2A(7) is amended to require the 3 21 department to conduct outreach programs for military personnel 3 22 that explain the opportunity for such persons to receive a 3 23 free deer depredation license or a free landowner license 3 24 pursuant to Code section 483A.24(2)(g). The department is 3 25 also directed to utilize the master hunter list and the 3 26 department's deer hunter registry (hunters for farmers) on its 3 27 internet website to match landowners and producers with 3 28 willing active duty military personnel as well as resident 3 29 hunters. 3 30 Code section 483A.24(2)(g) authorizes an owner or tenant of 3 31 a farm unit who has received a landowner deer hunting license 3 32 from the department to transfer that license to a person who 3 33 is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States. 3 34 A military person who receives such a license pursuant to this 3 35 provision must be otherwise qualified to hunt but is not 4 1 required to have a hunting license, pay the wildlife habitat 4 2 fee, or the fee for the purpose of deer herd population 4 3 management. A landowner or tenant who transfers a deer 4 4 hunting license pursuant to this paragraph shall not accept 4 5 any payment for the transfer of the license to a military 4 6 person. 4 7 LSB 2416XS 83 4 8 av/nh/5