Act No. 6

Public Acts of 2021

Approved by the Governor

April 8, 2021

Filed with the Secretary of State

April 8, 2021

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 8, 2021

state of michigan

101st Legislature

Regular session of 2021

Introduced by Reps. Howell, Eisen and Cherry

ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4126

AN ACT to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “An act to protect the environment and natural resources of the state; to codify, revise, consolidate, and classify laws relating to the environment and natural resources of the state; to regulate the discharge of certain substances into the environment; to regulate the use of certain lands, waters, and other natural resources of the state; to protect the people’s right to hunt and fish; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies and officials; to provide for certain charges, fees, assessments, and donations; to provide certain appropriations; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” by amending section 43525c (MCL 324.43525c), as added by 2020 PA 262.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 43525c. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an individual 18 years of age or older shall not hunt pheasants without a current annual pheasant hunting license issued by this state. The annual pheasant hunting license requirement is in addition to the requirements for a base license. The fee for the pheasant hunting license is $25.00. The following individuals are not required to obtain an annual pheasant hunting license under this section:

(a) An individual only hunting pheasants at a game bird hunting preserve licensed under part 417.

(b) An individual hunting pheasants on private land, except for individuals hunting on land enrolled in the hunting access program.

(d) An individual who holds a lifetime small game license, lifetime sportsperson’s license, or a comprehensive lifetime hunting and fishing license issued under section 44102.

(2) If issued as a stamp, a pheasant hunting license must be affixed to the base license of the individual and signed across the face of the stamp by the individual to whom it is issued.

(3) A collector may purchase a pheasant hunting license, if it is issued as a stamp, without being required to place it on a base license, sign across its face, or provide proof of competency under section 43520(2). However, a license described in this subsection is not valid for hunting pheasants.

(4) Except as provided in sections 43541 and 43555, the department shall deposit the fee collected for each pheasant hunting license in the pheasant subaccount of the game and fish protection account for the purposes stated in subsection (5).

(5) The pheasant subaccount is created in the game and fish protection account. The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the subaccount. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the subaccount. The state treasurer shall credit to the subaccount interest and earnings from subaccount investments. Money in the subaccount at the close of the fiscal year remains in the subaccount and does not lapse to the game and fish protection account or the general fund. Money in the subaccount on January 1, 2026 is transferred to the game and fish protection account. The department is the administrator of the subaccount for auditing purposes. The department shall expend money from the subaccount, upon appropriation, only for costs associated with the purchase and release of live pheasants on state-owned land suitable for pheasants.

(6) This section is repealed effective January 1, 2026.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives

Secretary of the Senate

Approved___________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Governor