SENATE BILL No. 1589

 

 

November 30, 2010, Introduced by Senators RICHARDVILLE and BARCIA and referred to the Committee on Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Recreation.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 43517, 43520, 43525a, 43526, 43527, and 43531

 

(MCL 324.43517, 324.43520, 324.43525a, 324.43526, 324.43527, and

 

324.43531), sections 43517 and 43520 as amended by 2006 PA 282,

 

sections 43525a and 43527 as amended by 2006 PA 280, section 43526

 

as amended by 1996 PA 585, and section 43531 as amended by 2009 PA

 

70.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 43517. (1) A parent or legal guardian of a minor child

 

shall not permit or allow the minor child to hunt game under the

 

authority of a license issued pursuant to this part except under 1

 

of the following conditions:

 


     (a) The unless the minor child hunts only on land upon which a

 

parent or guardian is regularly domiciled or a parent or guardian,

 

or another person at least 18 years old authorized by a parent or

 

guardian, accompanies the minor child. This subdivision does not

 

apply under either of the following circumstances: with a mentor in

 

compliance with the mentored youth hunting program established by

 

the commission under subsection (2).

 

     (i) The license is an apprentice license.

 

     (ii) The minor child is less than 14 years old and the license

 

is a license to hunt deer, bear, or elk with a firearm.

 

     (b) If the license is an apprentice license, a parent or

 

guardian, or another person at least 21 years old authorized by a

 

parent or guardian, who is licensed to hunt that game under a

 

license other than an apprentice license accompanies the minor

 

child. In addition, if the minor child is less than 14 years old

 

and the apprentice license is a license to hunt deer, bear, or elk

 

with a firearm, the minor child shall hunt only on private

 

property.

 

     (c) If the minor child is less than 14 years old and the

 

license is a license to hunt deer, bear, or elk with a firearm, the

 

minor child hunts only on private property and a parent or

 

guardian, or another person authorized by a parent or guardian who

 

is at least 18 years old, accompanies the minor child. This

 

subdivision does not apply if the license is an apprentice license.

 

     (2) Within 1 year after the effective date of the amendatory

 

act that added this subsection, the commission shall issue an order

 

under section 40113a establishing a mentored youth hunting program.

 


The order shall provide for all of the following:

 

     (a) A mentor shall be at least 21 years of age before

 

participating in the mentored youth hunting program.

 

     (b) A mentor shall possess a valid license to hunt prior to

 

engaging in any mentored youth hunting program.

 

     (c) A person shall not be a mentor unless he or she presents

 

proof of previous hunting experience in the form of a previous

 

hunting license of certification of completion of training in

 

hunter safety issued to the person by this state, another state, a

 

province of Canada, or another country.

 

     Sec. 43520. (1) Subject to other requirements of this part,

 

the department may issue a hunting license to a minor child if all

 

of the following requirements are met:

 

     (a) A parent or legal guardian of the minor child applies for

 

the license on behalf of the minor child.

 

     (b) The parent or guardian represents that the requirements of

 

section 43517(a), (b), or (c) 43517, as applicable, will be

 

complied with.

 

     (c) The minor child is at least 10 years old or, if the

 

license is a license to hunt deer, bear, or elk with a firearm, at

 

least 12 years old.

 

     (c) (d) The license fee is paid.

 

     (2) A person authorized to sell hunting licenses shall not

 

issue a hunting license to a person born after January 1, 1960,

 

unless the person presents proof of previous hunting experience in

 

the form of a hunting license issued by this state, another state,

 

a province of Canada, or another country or presents a

 


certification of completion of training in hunter safety issued to

 

the person by this state, another state, a province of Canada, or

 

another country. If an applicant for a hunting license does not

 

have proof of such a previous license or a certification of

 

completion of training in hunter safety, a person authorized to

 

sell hunting licenses may issue a hunting license if the applicant

 

submits a signed affidavit stating that the applicant has completed

 

a course in hunter safety or that the applicant possessed such a

 

hunting license previously. The person selling a hunting license

 

shall record as specified by the department the form of proof of

 

the previous hunting experience or certification of completion of

 

hunter safety training presented by the applicant. This subsection

 

does not apply to the issuance of an apprentice license. An

 

apprentice license or the equivalent does not satisfy the

 

requirements of this subsection concerning proof of previous

 

hunting experience.

 

     (3) A person 17 years old or older who does not meet the

 

requirements of subsection (2) may obtain an apprentice license for

 

the same price as the corresponding regular license that the person

 

would otherwise be qualified to obtain. A person 17 years old or

 

older shall not hunt game under an apprentice license unless

 

another person at least 21 years old who possesses a license, other

 

than an apprentice license, to hunt that game accompanies that

 

apprentice licensee and does not accompany more than 1 other

 

apprentice licensee. For the purposes of this subsection, and

 

section 43517(b), a person shall not go along with more than 2

 

apprentice licensees of any age for the purpose of accompanying

 


those apprentice licensees while those apprentice licensees are

 

hunting. If a person has represented to an apprentice licensee or,

 

if the apprentice licensee is a minor child, to the apprentice

 

licensee's parent or legal guardian that the person would accompany

 

the apprentice licensee for the purposes of this subsection, the

 

person shall not go along with the apprentice licensee while the

 

apprentice licensee is hunting unless the person actually

 

accompanies the apprentice licensee and possesses a license, other

 

than an apprentice license, to hunt the same game as the apprentice

 

licensee. A person is not eligible to obtain a specific type of

 

apprentice license, such as a firearm deer license, an archery deer

 

license, a combination deer license, a small game license, or a

 

turkey license, for more than 2 license years. An apprentice

 

license shall be distinguished from a license other than an

 

apprentice license by a notation or other means.

 

     (4) By October 1, 2008, the department shall submit to the

 

standing committees of the senate and house of representatives with

 

primary responsibility for conservation and outdoor recreation

 

issues a report on the effect of the apprentice hunter program and

 

the reductions in minimum hunting age enacted by the 2006

 

amendatory act that amended this section on recruitment of new

 

hunters and other relevant issues, such as hunter safety.

 

     Sec. 43525a. (1) The department shall issue a combination deer

 

license that authorizes a person to hunt deer both during the

 

firearm deer seasons and the bow and arrow seasons, in compliance

 

with the rules established for the respective deer hunting season.

 

A combination deer license shall authorize the holder to take 2

 


deer in compliance with orders issued under part 401.

 

     (2) The fee for a resident combination deer license is the

 

total of the resident firearm deer license fee plus the resident

 

bow and arrow deer license fee. The fee for a nonresident

 

combination deer license is the total of the nonresident firearm

 

deer license fee plus the nonresident bow and arrow deer license

 

fee. However, the The fee for a combination deer license for a

 

resident or nonresident minor child shall be discounted 50% from

 

the cost of the resident combination deer license. The fee for a

 

combination deer license for a resident or nonresident who is less

 

than 10 years old is $4.00.

 

     (3) If advisable in managing deer, an order under part 401 may

 

designate the kind of deer that may be taken and the geographic

 

area in which any license issued under this section is valid.

 

     (4) The department may issue kill tags with or as part of each

 

combination deer license. Each kill tag shall bear the license

 

number. A kill tag may also include space for other pertinent

 

information required by the department. A kill tag, if issued, is

 

part of the license and shall not be used more than 1 time.

 

     (5) The combination deer license shall count as 2 licenses for

 

the purposes of license fees under section 43536a , discounting

 

under subsection 43521(c), and transmittal, deposit, and use of

 

fees under sections 43554 and 43555.

 

     (6) A senior citizen may obtain a senior combination deer

 

license. The fee for a senior combination deer license shall be

 

discounted at the same rate as provided in section 43535.

 

     (7) A combination deer license issued to a person less than 12

 


years of age is valid only for taking deer with a bow and arrow,

 

until the person is 12 years of age or older.

 

     (7) (8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part,

 

except for replacing lost or destroyed licenses, a person shall not

 

apply for, obtain, or purchase any combination of firearm deer

 

licenses, bow and arrow deer licenses, and combination deer

 

licenses that would authorize the taking of more than 2 deer.

 

     Sec. 43526. (1) A person shall not hunt deer during the

 

firearm deer season without purchasing a firearm deer license. The

 

fee for a resident firearm deer license is $13.00. Beginning in

 

1999, the fee for a resident firearm deer license is $14.00.

 

Beginning in 2001, the fee for a resident firearm deer license is

 

$15.00. The fee for a nonresident firearm deer license is $120.00.

 

Beginning in 1999, the fee for a nonresident firearm deer license

 

is $129.00. Beginning in 2001, the fee for a nonresident firearm

 

deer license is $138.00. The fee for a firearm deer license for a

 

resident or nonresident who is less than 10 years old is $2.00.

 

Where authorized by the department, a resident or nonresident may

 

purchase a second firearm deer license in 1 season for the fee

 

assessed under this subsection for the firearm deer license for

 

which that person is eligible. However, a senior license discount

 

is not available for the purchase of a second firearm deer license.

 

The department may issue orders under part 401 designating the kind

 

of deer that may be taken and the geographic area in which any

 

license issued under this section is valid, when advisable in

 

managing deer.

 

     (2) The department may issue a kill tag with or as part of

 


each deer license. The kill tag shall bear the license number. The

 

kill tag may also include space for other pertinent information

 

required by the department. The kill tag, if issued, is part of the

 

license.

 

     (3) The department shall charge a nonrefundable application

 

fee not to exceed $4.00 for each person who applies for an

 

antlerless deer license. Except as otherwise provided in section

 

43521, the fee for a resident antlerless deer license is $13.00.

 

Beginning in 1999, the fee for a resident antlerless deer license

 

is $14.00. Beginning in 2001, the fee for a resident antlerless

 

deer license is $15.00. The fee for a nonresident antlerless deer

 

license is $120.00. Beginning in 1999, the fee for a nonresident

 

antlerless deer license is $129.00. Beginning in 2001, the fee for

 

a nonresident antlerless deer license is $138.00.

 

     Sec. 43527. (1) A person shall not hunt deer with a bow and

 

arrow or crossbow during the bow and arrow deer season without a

 

bow and arrow deer license. The fee for a resident bow and arrow

 

deer license is $15.00. The fee for a resident or nonresident minor

 

child for a bow and arrow deer license shall be discounted 50% from

 

the cost of the resident bow and arrow deer license. The fee for a

 

bow and arrow deer license for a resident or nonresident who is

 

less than 10 years old is $2.00. The fee for a nonresident bow and

 

arrow deer license is $138.00.

 

     (2) Where authorized by the department, a person may purchase

 

a second bow and arrow deer license in 1 season for the fee

 

assessed under subsection (1) for the bow and arrow deer license

 

for which that person is eligible. However, a senior license

 


discount is not available for the purchase of a second bow and

 

arrow deer license. The department may issue orders under part 401

 

designating the kind of deer that may be taken and the geographic

 

area in which any license issued under this section is valid, if

 

advisable in managing deer.

 

     (3) The department may issue a kill tag with, or as a part of,

 

each bow and arrow deer license. Section 43526(2) applies with

 

respect to a bow and arrow deer license.

 

     Sec. 43531. (1) Except as otherwise provided in section

 

43523(2), a person shall not trap or hunt fur-bearing animals

 

unless the person possesses a fur harvester's license. However, a

 

person who goes on a bobcat hunt with a licensed hunter is not

 

required to possess a fur harvester's license if the person does

 

not carry a firearm, bow, or crossbow and does not own dogs used to

 

chase or locate a bobcat during the hunt.

 

     (2) The fee for a resident fur harvester's license is $15.00.

 

The fee for a resident or nonresident who is 12 years of age

 

through 16 years of age for a fur harvester's license for a

 

resident or nonresident minor child shall be discounted 50% from

 

the cost of the resident fur harvester's license. The fee for a fur

 

harvester's license for a resident or nonresident who is less than

 

10 years old is $2.00.

 

     (3) The department may issue a nonresident fur harvester's

 

license to a nonresident of this state if the state, province, or

 

country in which the nonresident applicant resides allows residents

 

of this state to obtain equivalent hunting and trapping privileges

 

in that state, province, or country. The fee for an eligible

 


nonresident fur harvester's license is $150.00. Nonresident fur

 

harvester's licenses shall not be sold or purchased before November

 

15 of each year.

 

     (4) A person who holds a fur harvester's license may hunt fur-

 

bearing animals during the season open to taking fur-bearing

 

animals with firearms and may trap fur-bearing animals during the

 

season open to trapping fur-bearing animals.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect September

 

1, 2011.