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This bill creates a resident lifetime fishing license and provides for the
establishment of a lifetime fishing trust fund.
Under current law, with certain exceptions including an exception for residents
under the age of 16, no person may fish in this state unless the person has a valid
approval that authorizes fishing. The Department of Natural Resources issues
various fishing licenses, such as resident annual fishing licenses, one-day fishing
licenses, and two-day sports fishing licenses. This bill requires DNR also to issue
lifetime fishing licenses to residents.
Under the bill, a resident lifetime fishing license confers the privilege of an
annual fishing license. The holder of a resident lifetime fishing license must still
purchase a fishing stamp if the type of fishing in which he or she will be engaged
requires such a stamp. The bill establishes the fee for a resident lifetime fishing
license at 30 times the fee for a resident annual fishing license, which under current
law is $19.25 plus a 75-cent issuing fee. Thus, at the current rate, a resident lifetime
fishing license fee under the bill is $577.50, plus a 75-cent issuing fee.

Under current law, all proceeds from hunting and fishing license fees are
deposited in the conservation fund and appropriated to DNR for various purposes
relating to fish and wildlife management. This bill creates a lifetime fishing trust
fund and provides that all fees from the sale of resident lifetime fishing licenses are
deposited in that trust fund. The bill provides that, each fiscal year, all interest that
has accrued in the lifetime fishing trust fund and a prorated amount of the money
from each resident lifetime fishing license fee must be transferred from the lifetime
fishing trust fund to the conservation fund. The bill allows DNR to adopt rules
establishing a system for prorating resident lifetime fishing license fees for the
purposes of this transfer. The bill requires that the system for prorating these fees
must comply with the federal rules governing how lifetime licenses may be counted
for purposes of this state qualifying for funding under the federal Dingell-Johnson
Act.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB555,1 1Section 1 . 25.17 (1) (jf) of the statutes is created to read:
AB555,2,22 25.17 (1) (jf) Lifetime fishing trust fund (s. 25.299);
AB555,2 3Section 2 . 25.29 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,2,94 25.29 (1) (a) Except as provided in ss. 25.293 and, 25.295, and 25.299, all
5moneys accruing to the state for or in behalf of the department under chs. 26, 27, 28,
629, 169, and 350, subchs. I and VI of ch. 77 and ss. 23.09 to 23.31, 23.325, 23.33,
723.335, except as provided in s. 25.40 (1) (bt), 23.35 to 23.42, 23.50 to 23.99, 30.50 to
830.55, 71.10 (5), 71.30 (10), and 90.21, including grants received from the federal
9government or any of its agencies except as otherwise provided by law.
AB555,3 10Section 3 . 25.29 (1) (g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB555,2,1211 25.29 (1) (g) Moneys transferred from the lifetime fishing trust fund under s.
1225.299 (2) (a).
AB555,4 13Section 4 . 25.299 of the statutes is created to read:
AB555,3,4
125.299 Lifetime fishing trust fund. (1) There is established a separate
2nonlapsible trust fund designated as the lifetime fishing trust fund, to consist of all
3resident lifetime fishing license fees paid under s. 29.563 (3) (a) 4g. and the income
4received and accruing from investments of the fund.
AB555,3,7 5(2) (a) Each fiscal year, all interest that has accrued in the lifetime fishing trust
6fund and a prorated amount of the money from each resident lifetime fishing license
7fee shall be transferred from the lifetime fishing trust fund to the conservation fund.
AB555,3,128 (b) The department of natural resources may adopt rules establishing a system
9for prorating resident lifetime fishing license fees for purposes of the transfer under
10par. (a). The system for prorating these fees shall comply with the federal rules
11governing how lifetime licenses may be counted for purposes of this state qualifying
12for federal funding under 50 CFR 80.
AB555,5 13Section 5. 29.219 (2g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB555,3,1914 29.219 (2g) Lifetime fishing license. The department shall issue a resident
15lifetime fishing license, subject to s. 29.024, to any resident who applies for this
16license. A resident lifetime fishing license is not transferable, exchangeable, or
17refundable and cannot be combined with any other discount on approvals. A resident
18lifetime fishing license issued under this subsection remains valid even if the holder
19is no longer a resident.
AB555,6 20Section 6 . 29.219 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,3,2421 29.219 (4) Husband and wife Spousal resident licenses. A combined husband
22and wife
annual resident fishing license shall be issued to spouses subject to s. 29.024
23by the department to residents applying for this license. This license confers upon
24both husband and wife spouses the privileges of resident fishing licenses.
AB555,7 25Section 7. 29.229 (2) (gm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB555,4,1
129.229 (2) (gm) Resident lifetime fishing licenses.
AB555,8 2Section 8 . 29.229 (2) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,4,33 29.229 (2) (i) Husband and wife Spousal fishing licenses.
AB555,9 4Section 9. 29.2295 (2) (gm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB555,4,55 29.2295 (2) (gm) Resident lifetime fishing licenses.
AB555,10 6Section 10 . 29.2295 (2) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,4,77 29.2295 (2) (i) Husband and wife Spousal fishing licenses.
AB555,11 8Section 11 . 29.231 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,4,129 29.231 (2) A resident sports license confers upon the licensee all of the
10combined privileges conferred by a resident small game hunting license, resident
11annual fishing license and resident deer hunting license subject to all of the duties,
12conditions, limitations, and restrictions of those licenses.
AB555,12 13Section 12 . 29.236 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,4,2414 29.236 (2) An annual disabled veteran recreation card entitles the holder to
15exercise all of the combined rights and privileges conferred by a resident small game
16hunting license and a resident annual fishing license, subject to all duties,
17conditions, limitations, and restrictions of the licenses. A person may operate any
18motor vehicle, except a motor bus, as defined in s. 340.01 (31), subject to the
19admission requirements under s. 27.01 (7) in any vehicle admission area under s.
2027.01 (7) without having an admission receipt affixed to the vehicle or otherwise
21displayed and without paying a fee if the vehicle has as an occupant a card holder
22who can exhibit the card upon demand in the vehicle admission area. The card
23permits a card holder to enter Heritage Hill state park or a state trail without paying
24an admission fee.
AB555,13 25Section 13 . 29.563 (3) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,5,2
129.563 (3) (a) 3. Husband and wife Annual fishing license issued to spouses:
2$30.25.
AB555,14 3Section 14. 29.563 (3) (a) 4g. of the statutes is created to read:
AB555,5,54 29.563 (3) (a) 4g. Lifetime fishing: 30 times the fee for an annual fishing license
5under subd. 1.
AB555,15 6Section 15 . 29.624 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB555,5,177 29.624 (1) A senior citizen recreation card entitles the holder to exercise all of
8the combined rights and privileges conferred by a resident small game hunting
9license, a wild turkey hunting license, a wild turkey hunting stamp , and a resident
10annual fishing license, subject to all duties, conditions, limitations, and restrictions
11of the licenses and stamp. A person may operate any motor vehicle, except a motor
12bus, as defined in s. 340.01 (31), subject to the admission requirements under s. 27.01
13(7) in any vehicle admission area under s. 27.01 (7) without having an admission
14receipt affixed to the vehicle or otherwise displayed and without paying a fee if the
15vehicle has as an occupant a card holder who can exhibit the card upon demand in
16the vehicle admission area. The card permits a card holder to enter Heritage Hill
17state park or a state trail without paying an admission fee.
AB555,16 18Section 16 . Nonstatutory provisions.
AB555,5,2519 (1) The department of natural resources may promulgate emergency rules
20under s. 227.24 to implement the requirement to issue resident lifetime fishing
21licenses under s. 29.219 (2g). Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the
22department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this
23subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace,
24health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a
25rule promulgated under this subsection.
AB555,17
1Section 17. Effective date.
AB555,6,32 (1) This act takes effect on the March 1 that occurs during the first year
3beginning after the day of publication.
AB555,6,44 (End)
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