104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB2043 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Chris Balkema SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2 Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, upon request, the Department of Natural Resources shall issue a certificate of competency to any resident active-duty military personnel who provide acceptable verification of service, any Illinois resident veterans who provide acceptable verification of service, and any individuals who present proof of holding a concealed carry permit issued by the State. LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB2043 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Chris Balkema SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2 520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2 Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, upon request, the Department of Natural Resources shall issue a certificate of competency to any resident active-duty military personnel who provide acceptable verification of service, any Illinois resident veterans who provide acceptable verification of service, and any individuals who present proof of holding a concealed carry permit issued by the State. LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB2043 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Chris Balkema SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2 520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2
520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2
Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, upon request, the Department of Natural Resources shall issue a certificate of competency to any resident active-duty military personnel who provide acceptable verification of service, any Illinois resident veterans who provide acceptable verification of service, and any individuals who present proof of holding a concealed carry permit issued by the State.
LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b
LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b
A BILL FOR
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SB2043 LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b
1 AN ACT concerning wildlife.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
5 Section 3.2 as follows:
6 (520 ILCS 5/3.2) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.2)
7 Sec. 3.2. Hunting license; application; instruction.
8 Before the Department or any county, city, village, township,
9 incorporated town clerk or his duly designated agent or any
10 other person authorized or designated by the Department to
11 issue hunting licenses shall issue a hunting license to any
12 person, the person shall file his application with the
13 Department or other party authorized to issue licenses on a
14 form provided by the Department and further give definite
15 proof of identity and place of legal residence. Each clerk
16 designating agents to issue licenses and stamps shall furnish
17 the Department, within 10 days following the appointment, the
18 names and mailing addresses of the agents. Each clerk or his
19 duly designated agent shall be authorized to sell licenses and
20 stamps only within the territorial area for which he was
21 elected or appointed. No duly designated agent is authorized
22 to furnish licenses or stamps for issuance by any other
23 business establishment. Each application shall be executed and
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB2043 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Chris Balkema SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2 520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2
520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2
Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, upon request, the Department of Natural Resources shall issue a certificate of competency to any resident active-duty military personnel who provide acceptable verification of service, any Illinois resident veterans who provide acceptable verification of service, and any individuals who present proof of holding a concealed carry permit issued by the State.
LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b
LRB104 11028 BDA 21110 b
A BILL FOR
520 ILCS 5/3.2 from Ch. 61, par. 3.2
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1 sworn to and shall set forth the name and description of the
2 applicant and place of residence.
3 No hunting license shall be issued to any person born on or
4 after January 1, 1980 unless he presents the person authorized
5 to issue the license evidence that he has held a hunting
6 license issued by the State of Illinois or another state in a
7 prior year, or a certificate of competency as provided in this
8 Section. Persons under 18 years of age may be issued a Lifetime
9 Hunting or Sportsmen's Combination License as provided under
10 Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code but shall not
11 be entitled to hunt alone, without the supervision of an adult
12 age 21 or older, unless they have a certificate of competency
13 as provided in this Section and the certificate is in their
14 possession while hunting.
15 Upon request, the Department shall issue a certificate of
16 competency, as provided in this Section, to any resident
17 active-duty military personnel who provide acceptable
18 verification of service, any Illinois resident veterans who
19 provide acceptable verification of service, and any
20 individuals who present proof of holding a concealed carry
21 permit issued by the State.
22 The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize
23 personnel of the Department or certified volunteer instructors
24 to conduct courses, of not less than 10 hours in length, in
25 firearms and hunter safety, which may include training in bow
26 and arrow safety, at regularly specified intervals throughout
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1 the State. Persons successfully completing the course shall
2 receive a certificate of competency. The Department of Natural
3 Resources may further cooperate with any reputable association
4 or organization in establishing courses if the organization
5 has as one of its objectives the promotion of safety in the
6 handling of firearms or bow and arrow.
7 The Department of Natural Resources shall designate any
8 person found by it to be competent to give instruction in the
9 handling of firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. The
10 persons so appointed shall give the course of instruction and
11 upon the successful completion shall issue to the person
12 instructed a certificate of competency in the safe handling of
13 firearms, hunter safety, and bow and arrow. No charge shall be
14 made for any course of instruction except for materials or
15 ammunition consumed. The Department of Natural Resources shall
16 furnish information on the requirements of hunter safety
17 education programs to be distributed free of charge to
18 applicants for hunting licenses by the persons appointed and
19 authorized to issue licenses. Funds for the conducting of
20 firearms and hunter safety courses shall be taken from the fee
21 charged for the Firearm Owners Identification Card.
22 The fee for a hunting license to hunt all species for a
23 resident of Illinois is $12. For residents age 65 or older,
24 and, commencing with the 2012 license year, resident veterans
25 of the United States Armed Forces after returning from service
26 abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States
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1 as an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the
2 Illinois National Guard, or the Reserves of the United States
3 Armed Forces, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a
4 hunting license to hunt all species for a resident of
5 Illinois. Veterans must provide to the Department acceptable
6 verification of their service. The Department shall establish
7 by administrative rule the procedure by which such
8 verification of service shall be made to the Department for
9 the purpose of issuing resident veterans hunting licenses at a
10 reduced fee. The fee for a hunting license to hunt all species
11 shall be $1 for residents over 75 years of age. Nonresidents
12 shall be charged $57 for a hunting license.
13 Residents of this State may obtain a 3-year hunting
14 license to hunt all species as described in Section 3.1 for 3
15 times the annual fee. For residents age 65 or older and
16 resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces after
17 returning from service abroad or mobilization by the President
18 of the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged
19 for a 3-year hunting license to hunt all species as described
20 in Section 3.1 for a resident of this State. Veterans must
21 provide to the Department, per administrative rule,
22 verification of their service. The Department shall establish
23 what constitutes suitable verification of service for the
24 purpose of issuing resident veterans 3-year hunting licenses
25 at a reduced fee.
26 Nonresidents may be issued a nonresident hunting license
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1 for a period not to exceed 10 consecutive days' hunting in the
2 State and shall be charged a fee of $35.
3 A special nonresident hunting license authorizing a
4 nonresident to take game birds by hunting on a game breeding
5 and hunting preserve area only, established under Section
6 3.27, shall be issued upon proper application being made and
7 payment of a fee equal to that for a resident hunting license.
8 The expiration date of this license shall be on the same date
9 each year that game breeding and hunting preserve area
10 licenses expire.
11 Each applicant for a State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp,
12 regardless of his residence or other condition, shall pay a
13 fee of $15 and shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State
14 Migratory Waterfowl Stamp shall be waived for residents over
15 75 years of age. Except as provided under Section 20-45 of the
16 Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the stamp shall be signed by the
17 person or affixed to his license or permit in a space
18 designated by the Department for that purpose.
19 Each applicant for a State Habitat Stamp, regardless of
20 his residence or other condition, shall pay a fee of $5 and
21 shall receive a stamp. The fee for a State Habitat Stamp shall
22 be waived for residents over 75 years of age. Except as
23 provided under Section 20-45 of the Fish and Aquatic Life
24 Code, the stamp shall be signed by the person or affixed to his
25 license or permit in a space designated by the Department for
26 that purpose.
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1 Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to require
2 the purchase of more than one State Habitat Stamp by any person
3 in any one license year.
4 The fees for State Pheasant Stamps and State Furbearer
5 Stamps shall be waived for residents over 75 years of age.
6 The Department shall furnish the holders of hunting
7 licenses and stamps with an insignia as evidence of possession
8 of license, or license and stamp, as the Department may
9 consider advisable. The insignia shall be exhibited and used
10 as the Department may order.
11 All other hunting licenses and all State stamps shall
12 expire upon March 31 of each year. Three-year hunting licenses
13 shall expire on March 31 of the 2nd year after the year in
14 which the license is issued.
15 Every person holding any license, permit, or stamp issued
16 under the provisions of this Act shall have it in his
17 possession for immediate presentation for inspection to the
18 officers and authorized employees of the Department, any
19 sheriff, deputy sheriff, or any other peace officer making a
20 demand for it. This provision shall not apply to Department
21 owned or managed sites where it is required that all hunters
22 deposit their license, permit, or Firearm Owner's
23 Identification Card at the check station upon entering the
24 hunting areas.
25 For the purposes of this Section, "acceptable
26 verification" means official documentation from the Department
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