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:
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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 6 resident hunter 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. A transferee resident
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.
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