HF 130 (LSB 1735YH (4) 85)

HOUSE FILE 130

BY  LOFGREN, KAUFMANN, BYRNES, GRASSLEY, KRESSIG, MUHLBAUER, WINDSCHITL, ROGERS, HUNTER, HEDDENS, MURPHY, L. MILLER, HAGENOW, WORTHAN, DEYOE, RAYHONS, KLEIN, HEATON, KELLEY, J. SMITH, LANDON, JACOBY, LYKAM, and COWNIE

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for the issuance of special hunting licenses to certain nonresident disabled veterans and disabled members of the armed forces serving on active federal service.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 483A.24, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2013, are amended to read as follows:
   3.  The director shall provide up to seventy-five nonresident deer hunting licenses for allocation as
 
provided in this subsection.
   a.  Thirty-five of the nonresident deer hunting licenses shall be allocated as requested by a majority of a committee consisting of the majority leader of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, and director of the economic development authority, or their designees. The licenses provided pursuant to this subsection shall be in addition to the number of nonresident licenses authorized pursuant to section 483A.8. The purpose of the special nonresident licenses is to allow state officials and local development groups to promote the state and its natural resources to nonresident guests and dignitaries. Photographs, videotapes, or any other form of media resulting from the hunting visitation shall not be used for political campaign purposes. The nonresident licenses shall be issued without application upon purchase of a nonresident hunting license that includes the wildlife habitat fee and the purchase of a nonresident deer hunting license. The licenses are valid in all zones open to deer hunting. The hunter safety and ethics education certificate requirement pursuant to section 483A.27 is waived for a nonresident issued a license pursuant to this subsection.
   b.  Forty of the nonresident deer hunting licenses shall be allocated as provided in subsection 4A.
   4.  The director shall provide up to twenty-five
 
seventy-five nonresident wild turkey hunting licenses for allocation as
 
provided in this subsection.
   a.  Thirty-five of the nonresident wild turkey hunting licenses shall be allocated as requested by a majority of a committee consisting of the majority leader of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, and director of the economic development authority, or their designees. The licenses provided pursuant to this subsection shall be in addition to the number of nonresident licenses authorized pursuant to section 483A.7. The purpose of the special nonresident licenses is to allow state officials and local development groups to promote the state and its natural resources to nonresident guests and dignitaries. Photographs, videotapes, or any other form of media resulting from the hunting visitation shall not be used for political campaign purposes. The nonresident licenses shall be issued without application upon purchase of a nonresident hunting license that includes the wildlife habitat fee and the purchase of a nonresident wild turkey hunting license. The licenses are valid in all zones open to wild turkey hunting. The hunter safety and ethics education certificate requirement pursuant to section 483A.27 is waived for a nonresident issued a license pursuant to this subsection.
   b.  Forty of the nonresident wild turkey hunting licenses shall be allocated as provided in subsection 4A.
    Sec. 2.  Section 483A.24, Code 2013, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  4A.  Forty of the nonresident deer hunting licenses and wild turkey hunting licenses allocated under subsections 3 and 4 shall be available for issuance to nonresidents who have served in the armed forces of the United States on active federal service and who were disabled during the veteran’s military service or who are serving in the armed forces of the United States on active federal service and have been disabled during military service to enable the disabled person to participate in a hunt that is conducted by an organization that conducts hunting experiences in this state for disabled persons. The licenses shall be issued as follows:
   a.  The department shall prepare an application to be used by a person requesting a special license under this subsection.
   (1)  The department shall verify that the license will be used by the applicant in connection with a hunt conducted by an approved organization that conducts hunting experiences in this state for disabled veterans and members of the armed forces serving on active federal service who have been disabled during military service. The department shall specify, by rules adopted under chapter 17A, what requirements an organization must meet in order to be approved to conduct hunts for disabled persons who obtain licenses under this subsection.
   (2)  The department of veterans affairs shall assist the department in verifying the status or claims of applicants under this subsection. As used in this subsection, “disabled” means entitled to a service connected rating under 38 U.S.C. ch. 11 with a degree of disability of thirty percent or more.
   b.  A license issued under this subsection shall be in addition to the number of nonresident wild turkey hunting licenses authorized pursuant to section 483A.7 and nonresident deer hunting licenses authorized pursuant to section 483A.8. However, a nonresident who obtains a license pursuant to this subsection is not eligible to obtain a nonresident deer hunting license or wild turkey hunting license under any other provision of law.
   c.  A disabled person who receives a special license under this subsection shall purchase a hunting license that includes the wildlife habitat fee, and a wild turkey hunting license or a deer hunting license, if applicable, all for the same fees that are charged to resident hunters. If hunting deer, the disabled person shall also pay a one dollar fee that shall be used and is appropriated for the purpose of deer herd population management, including assisting with the cost of processing deer donated to the help us stop hunger program administered by the commission.
   d.  A special hunting license that includes the wildlife habitat fee shall be available for issuance under this subsection to a disabled veteran or disabled member of the armed forces serving on active federal service for the same fee that is charged to a resident hunter to enable such a disabled person to participate in a hunt conducted by an organization approved under this subsection for which only a hunting license is required.
   e.  A disabled person who receives a special license under this subsection shall complete the hunter safety and ethics education course.
   f.  A license issued under this subsection is valid for use only on a hunt conducted by an organization approved under this subsection.
   g.  The commission shall adopt rules under chapter 17A for the administration of this subsection.
EXPLANATION
   This bill requires the director of the department of natural resources to issue special deer hunting licenses and wild turkey hunting licenses to certain nonresident disabled veterans and disabled persons currently on active federal military service for use on hunts conducted by organizations that conduct hunting experiences in the state for such persons.
   The director is required to make available 40 of the 75 special nonresident deer hunting licenses that are currently allocated by a committee to promote the state and its natural resources to nonresident guests and dignitaries, for issuance to nonresident disabled veterans and disabled persons currently on active federal military service. The director is also required to increase the number of special nonresident wild turkey hunting licenses from 25 to 75, and to make 40 of those licenses available for issuance to such persons.
   The special licenses must be used in connection with a hunt conducted by an approved organization that conducts hunting experiences in the state for disabled veterans and disabled persons currently on active federal military service. The department is to adopt rules specifying what requirements an organization must meet to be approved.
   The special licenses are available to nonresident veterans and persons currently on active federal military service who are entitled to a service connected rating under federal law with a degree of disability of 30 percent or more. The department of veterans affairs shall assist the department in verifying the status of applicants for the licenses.
   The special licenses are in addition to the number of nonresident wild turkey and deer hunting licenses that are otherwise authorized by law. A nonresident who obtains one of the special licenses is not eligible to obtain another nonresident wild turkey or deer hunting license under any other provision of law. 
   A nonresident who purchases a special license must also purchase a hunting license that includes the wildlife habitat fee, all for the same fees as a resident hunter. A nonresident who purchases a special deer hunting license must also pay the $1 fee for the purpose of deer herd population management, including assisting with the cost of processing deer donated to the help us stop hunger program.
   A special hunting license that includes the wildlife habitat fee is available to such disabled persons for the same fee that is charged to a resident hunter to enable the disabled persons to participate in a hunt conducted by an approved organization for which only a hunting license is required.
   A disabled person who receives one of the special licenses must complete the hunter safety and ethics education course.