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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2012
SENATE BILL NO. 341
BY SENATOR CLAITOR
HUNTERS/HUNTING. Provides relative to firearm and hunter education. (8/1/12)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 56:699.5(A) and (B) and to repeal R.S. 56:699.1 and 699.2,2
relative to the firearm and hunter education courses; to provide for firearm and3
hunter education requirements; to provide terms and conditions for exceptions from4
firearm and hunter education; and to provide for related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 56:699.5(A) and (B) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as7
follows: 8
ยง699.5. Firearm and hunter education requirement9
A.(1) No person born on or after September 1, 1969, shall hunt with a10
firearm unless that person has first been issued a certificate of satisfactory11
completion of a firearm and hunter education course taught or approved by the12
department, or possesses a valid hunting license issued by the department.13
(2) However, a person under sixteen years of age may hunt without such14
certificate if he is accompanied by and is under the direct supervision of a person15
who was born on or before September 1, 1969, and has a valid hunting license16
or who is eighteen years of age or older and has a valid hunting license or proof of17 SB NO. 341
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
successful completion of a firearm and hunter safety education course approved by1
the department. For the purposes of this Subsection, "direct supervision" means that2
the person being supervised shall be within a normal audible voice proximity and in3
direct line of sight of the supervising adult at all times while hunting.4
(3) However, a person who has not completed the firearm and5
huntereducation course required by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection may be issued6
a valid hunting license by the department. Such license shall be issued with a7
restriction that requires that person be accompanied by and under the direct8
supervision of a person who was born on or before September 1, 1969, and has9
a valid hunting license or who is eighteen years of age or older and has proof of10
successful completion of a firearm and hunter safety education course approved by11
the department.12
B. A person who is developmentally disabled and unable to successfully13
complete a firearm and hunter education safety course may be issued a restricted14
firearm and hunter education certificate that permits him to hunt, if he is15
accompanied by and is under the direct supervision of a person who was born on or16
before September 1, 1969, and has a valid hunting license or who is eighteen17
years of age or older and has a valid hunting license or proof of successful18
completion of a firearm and hunter safety education course approved by the19
department. Documentation of the developmental disability from a licensed medical20
doctor shall be presented prior to the issuance of a restricted hunter education21
certificate.22
* * *23
Section 2. R.S. 56:699.1 and 699.2 are hereby repealed.24
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Broussard-Johnson.
DIGEST
Present law provides that no person shall hunt with a firearm unless that person has first been
issued a certificate of satisfactory completion of a firearm and hunter education course
taught or approved by the department, or possesses a valid hunting license issued by the
department. SB NO. 341
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Proposed law changes present law to provide that no person born on or after Sept. 1, 1969,
is allowed to hunt without first completing a firearm and hunter education course. Proposed
law further removes the requirement of possessing a valid hunting license.
Present law provides exceptions from present law for certain persons under the age of 16,
for persons who have not completed the required firearm and hunter education course, and
for persons who are developmentally disabled and unable to successfully complete a firearm
and hunter education course.
Proposed law provides that for a person to qualify for one of the exceptions in present law,
then that person must be accompanied by and in direct supervision of a person born on or
before Sept. 1, 1969, and who has a valid hunting license; or accompanied by and in the
direct supervision of a person 18 years of age or older and who has proof of successful
completion of a firearm and hunter education course.
Proposed law makes technical name changes from "hunter safety course" to "firearm and
hunter education course".
Proposed law removes the definition of "direct supervision" because it is already defined in
present law.
Effective August 1, 2012.
(Amends R.S. 56:699.5(A) and (B); repeals R.S. 56:699.1 and 699.2)