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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
SENATE BILL 954 By: Kidd
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to hunting; amending 29 O.S. 2021,
Section 4-112A, which relates to the certificate of
competency and safety; requiring applicants of a
certain license to receive certificate; allowing
individuals to apply for a hunting guide license from
the Department of Wi ldlife Conservation; directing
Department to promulgate rules for licensure;
requiring certain requirements of persons prior to
application; setting license fee maximum; exempting
certain individuals from licensure ; establishing
penalties; providing for codification; and providing
an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 4 -112A, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 4-112A. A. No person thirty (30) years of age or
younger may purchase or receive any hunting li cense or hunting tag
unless the person possesses an d can exhibit a certificate of
competency and safety in the use and handling of firearms from the
Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Department shall charge no
fee for the issuance of certificates. Persons under ten (10) years
of age may take the h unter education course but are not eligible to
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be tested for and receive hunter safety certification. A hunter
safety certificate issued by another state or country and approv ed
by the Department of Wildl ife Conservation shall be deemed to meet
the requirements of this section.
B. A youth hunter under sixteen (16) years of age hunt ing small
game shall be exempt f rom the hunter safety certification
requirements set forth in sub section A of this section if they are
accompanied by a licensed hunter eighteen (18) years of age or older
who possesses a certificate of hunter safety or is e xempt from the
hunter safety certification requirements. The accompanying hunter
shall be in sight of the youth hunter and sh all be able to
communicate with the youth hunter in a normal voice without the aid
of any communication device. A youth hunter wh o possesses a
certificate of hunter safety may hunt small game without an
accompanying hunter as long as the youth hunter carr ies the
certification on their person.
C. Persons under thirty (30) years of age who do not possess a
certificate of hunter safet y may purchase or receive any hu nting
license or permit which is required by law with the designa tion
apprentice listed on the hunter education line of the license or
permit. A person holding a license or permit with the apprentice
designation shall be al lowed to hunt only if they are a ccompanied by
a licensed hunter eighteen (18) years of age or old er who possesses
a certificate of hunter safety or is exempt from the hunter saf ety
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certification requirements or is accompanied by a person exempt from
the hunting license requirements. In addition, all persons under
ten (10) years of age, when hunting b ig game, regardless of hunter
safety certification, shall be accompanied by a li censed hunter
eighteen (18) years of age or older who possesses a certificate o f
hunter safety or is exempt fro m the hunter safety certification
requirements or is accompanied by a person exempt from the h unting
license requirement. When hunting big game, the accompanying hunter
shall be within arm's length of the apprentice hunter or close
enough so that the acco mpanying hunter can immediately take control
of the firearm or ar chery equipment of the appren tice hunter. When
hunting small game, the accompan ying hunter shall be in sight of the
apprentice hunter and shall be able to com municate with the
apprentice hunter in a normal voice without the aid of any
communication device .
D. Legal residents who do not possess a certificate of hunter
safety may purchase a lifetime hunting license or lifetime
combination hunting/fishing license with the designation apprentice
listed on the hunter education line of the license. A resident
holding a lifetime license wi th the apprentice designation shall be
allowed to hunt only if they comply with the accompanying hunter
requirements as set forth in subsection C of this section. Upon
obtaining a certificate of hunter safety, a resident holdi ng a
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lifetime license with th e apprentice designation shall be entitled
to renew their license without the apprentice designation.
E. No person may purchase or receive a hunting guide license
unless the person possesses and can exhibit a c ertificate of
competency and safety in the us e and handling of firearms from the
Department of Wildlife Conservation . The Department shall charge no
fee for the issuance of this certificate. A hunter safety
certificate issued by another state or country and approved by the
Department of Wildlife Co nservation shall be deemed to meet the
requirements of this subsection. The exemption provided in
subsection G of this section shall not apply to the requirements of
this subsection.
F. The Department of Wildlife Conservation sh all promulgate
rules necessary for the certification of programs for hunter s afety
offered by other public or private organizations.
F. The G. Except as provided in subsection E of this sectio n,
the provisions of this section shall no t apply to any person who has
an honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces, who is
currently on active duty in the United States Armed Forces or a
member of the National Guard. In addition, the provisions of this
section shall not apply to a ny person who is a re sident landowner or
a resident tenant, while hunting game other than deer or antelope,
upon land owned or leased by the person. The provisions of this
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subsection shall not exempt nonresidents owning land in this state
nor any person leasing land, for the purpose of hunting.
G. H. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this
section shall be punished by the imposition of a fine of not less
than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Two Hundred Dollars
($200.00) or by imprisonme nt in the county jail for a period not to
exceed thirty (30) days, or by both fine and impriso nment.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 4-112B of Title 29, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Except as otherwise provided in the Oklah oma Wildlife
Conservation Code, no person shall assist, accompany, transport,
guide, or aid persons in the taking of game for compensation or
other consideration without having first procured a license
specified in subsection B of this section from the Dir ector of the
Department of Wildlife Conservation or from any of the authorized
agents of the Department.
B. The Department shall pr omulgate rules for a hunting guide
license for persons who assist, accompany, transport, guide, or aid
persons in the taking of game for compensation or other
consideration. All persons making application for a hunting guide
license shall:
1. Be eighteen (18) years of age or older;
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2. Be able to produce a valid license to operate a motor
vehicle or other positive proof of id entification, age, and
residency, and any such license issued shall show such data as well
as the date and time of i ssuance; and
3. Receive a certificate of competency and safety in use and
handling of firearms pursuant to subsection E of Section 4 -112A of
Title 29 of the Oklahoma Statutes .
C. The fee for a license under this section shall not exceed
Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) annually.
D. The provisions of this section shall not apply to landowners
or agricultural lessee who provide such service s on properties they
own or lease.
E. The provisions of this section shall not exempt a perso n
procuring a guide lice nse pursuant to this section from any other
hunting licenses as required by law.
F. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this
section shall be punished by a fine not more than Two Thousand
Dollars ($2,000.00).
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
59-1-1034 MR 1/19/2023 11:23:39 AM