571—15.23(483A) Free hunting and fishing license for low-income persons 65 years of age and older or low-income persons who are permanently disabled.
	15.23(1) Purpose. Pursuant to Iowa Code section 483A.24(15), the department of natural resources will issue a free annual combination hunting and fishing license to low-income persons who meet the age status or permanently disabled status as defined.
	15.23(2) Definitions.
“Age status” means a person who has achieved the sixty-fifth birthday.
“Low-income person” means a person who is a recipient of a program administered by the state department of human services for persons who meet low-income guidelines.
“Permanently disabled” means a person who meets the definition in Iowa Code section 483A.4.
	15.23(3) Procedure. Each person shall apply to the department of natural resources for a license as follows:
	a. 	Application shall be made on a form provided by the department and shall include the name, address, height, weight, color of eyes and hair, date of birth, and gender of the applicant. In addition, applicants shall include a copy of an official document such as a birth certificate if claiming age status, or a copy of an award letter from the Social Security Administration or private pension plan if claiming permanent disabled status. The application shall include an authorization allowing the department of health and human services to verify the applicant’s household income if proof of income is provided through the department of health and human services.
	b. 	The free annual hunting and fishing combination license will be issued by the department upon verification of program eligibility. The license issued under this rule will be valid until January 10 of the subsequent year. Proof of eligibility must be submitted each year in order to obtain a free license.
	c. 	A person whose income falls below the federal poverty guidelines may apply for this license by providing either of the following:
	(1)	A current Notice of Decision letter. For purposes of this rule, a “current Notice of Decision letter” shall mean a letter from the department of health and human services dated in the month the application is received or dated in the five months immediately preceding the month the application is received that describes the applicant’s monthly or annual household income.
	(2)	If a person does not have a Notice of Decision letter as described in subparagraph 15.23(3)“c”(1), a document shall be provided that states that the applicant’s annual income does not exceed the federal poverty limit for the current year and lists income from all sources, including but not limited to any wages or compensation, social security, retirement income, dividends and interest, cash gifts, rents and royalties, or other cash income. In addition, the applicant shall provide documentation of such income by submitting a copy of the applicant’s most recently filed state or federal income tax return to the department. In the event an applicant does not have a tax return that was filed within the last year because the applicant’s income level does not require the filing of a tax return, the applicant shall so notify the department, shall provide to the department bank statements, social security statements or other relevant income documentation identified by the department, and shall meet with the department to verify income eligibility under this rule.
Federal poverty guidelines are published in February of each year and will be the income standard for applicants from that time until the guidelines are available in the subsequent year. The guidelines will be shown on the application and will be available upon request from the department.
	15.23(4) Revocation. Any license issued pursuant to rule 571—15.23(483A) may be revoked, in whole or in part, by written notice, if the director determines that a license holder had provided false information to obtain a license under this chapter or has violated any provision of this chapter and that continuation of the license is not in the public interest. Such revocation shall become effective upon a date specified in the notice. The notice shall state the extent of the revocation and the reasons for the action. Within 30 days following receipt of the notice of a revocation, the license holder may file a notice of appeal, requesting a contested case hearing pursuant to 561—Chapter 7. The notice of appeal shall specify the basis for requesting that the license be reinstated.
[ARC 7893C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]