hb 0471

CHAPTER 180

HB 471-FN - FINAL VERSION

AN ACT relative to fish and game licenses issued to resident and nonresident minors and relative to complimentary fishing licenses for legally blind persons.

SPONSORS: Rep. R. L'Heureux, Hills 18; Rep. Carlson, Hills 19; Rep. Fletcher, Hills 7; Rep. Nowe, Rock 3; Rep. S. Eaton, Graf 1; Sen. Disnard, Dist 8; Sen. Roberge, Dist 9; Sen. Burns, Dist 1

This bill changes the application of special deer permits, black bear tags, falconry permits, wild turkey permits or licenses, and general fish and game license exceptions to resident and nonresident persons under the age of 16.

This bill also provides for complimentary nonresident fishing licenses for legally blind persons if the state the person is a resident of provides a reciprocal privilege.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT relative to fish and game licenses issued to resident and nonresident minors and relative to complimentary fishing licenses for legally blind persons.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

208:5-b Special Deer Permits. The executive director may issue special deer permits to a [~~licensee~~] person licensed with the applicable license to hunt issued under RSA [~~214:9, 208:5, or 208:5-a. Such special deer permits shall allow the taking of additional deer~~] 214, or RSA 208:5 or 5-a. The executive director shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A relative to fixing the number and sex limitations for wild deer and any other conditions governing the location, method, and manner of taking as well as the issuance and fee for special deer permits. The executive director may charge a fee not to exceed $10 for all applications for special deer permits

180:2 Black Bear Management Program; Reference Changed. Amend RSA 208:24, II to read as follows:

II. No person shall take wild black bears in this state without first procuring a bear license and tag in addition to the applicable license to hunt issued pursuant to RSA [~~214:9~~] 214 or RSA 208:5. The cost of the bear license and tag shall be $4.

I. Notwithstanding RSA [~~469:3~~] 207:14 and in accordance with any applicable federal regulations, the executive director may issue falconry permits for the capture and possession of raptors for falconry purposes, raptor propagation, or for salvage or rehabilitation purposes. No person shall engage in the sport of falconry without a valid falconry permit and [~~valid hunting~~] applicable license to hunt issued under RSA 214. The initial fee for a falconry permit shall be $50 and renewal fees and procedures for issuance of permits shall be established under rules adopted by the executive director, with the approval of the fish and game commission, pursuant to RSA 541-A.

214:1-c Wild Turkey Permit or License. No person shall at any time hunt, shoot, pursue, kill or take wild turkey in this state without first procuring, in addition to the applicable hunting license required by RSA [~~214:1~~] 214, a permit or license to do so under RSA 214:9, XI, for the same period.

180:5 Fish and Game; Licenses Required; Exceptions. Amend RSA 214:2 to read as follows:

I. The provisions of RSA 214:1 shall not apply to resident land owners [~~of farmlands and their minor children~~] while upon their own land or to the owner's children under 16 years of age when accompanied by the owner or another licensed person 18 years of age or over on such land, to persons fishing in ponds operated and maintained [~~by a duly licensed fish or game breeder, to resident children~~] in an aquaculture operation, to persons hunting on a regulated shooting area, to persons under 16 years of age while fishing, to [~~resident children~~] persons under 16 years of age while hunting when accompanied by a licensee 18 years of age or over, or to [~~resident children~~] residents under 16 years of age while trapping when accompanied by a licensee 18 years of age or over.

II. Fishing licenses may be issued without charge to resident legally blind persons, but no hunting licenses shall be issued to [~~blind~~] such persons. A fishing license issued to a resident blind person shall be effective during the remainder of [~~his~~] the person's life unless sooner suspended or revoked by the executive director. The executive director may issue complimentary nonresident fishing licenses to legally blind persons if the state in which the person is a resident provides a reciprocal privilege for legally blind residents of this state. The executive director shall determine the form of such complimentary licenses. A complimentary nonresident fishing license under this paragraph shall be effective for the lifetime of the applicant unless sooner suspended or revoked by the executive director.

180:6 Fish and Game; License Applications; Resident Minor Trapping; Nonresident Minor Hunting. Amend RSA 214:9, V and VI to read as follows:

V. If the applicant is a resident under 16 years of age and wishes to take fur-bearing animals and coyote by the use of traps when not accompanied by a licensed trapper 18 years of age or over, $5.50, and the agent shall thereupon issue a resident minor's trapping license, which shall entitle the licensee to take fur-bearing animals and coyote by the use of traps and sell and transport them under the restrictions of this title.

VI. If the applicant is a nonresident, [~~including a nonresident minor~~] 16 years of age or older, and wishes to hunt, $69.50, and the agent shall thereupon issue a nonresident hunting license which shall entitle the licensee to hunt, shoot, kill and take, except by the use of traps, and to transport wild birds and wild animals under the restrictions of this title.