AB835: Bill Text

2021 Assembly BILL 835

January 7, 2022 - Introduced by Representatives Callahan, Armstrong, Behnke, Edming, James, Krug, Kuglitsch, Magnafici, Murphy, Mursau, Novak, Petersen, Plumer, Sanfelippo, Snyder, Spiros, Swearingen, Thiesfeldt, Tittl and Cabral-Guevara. Referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage.

AB835,1,3 An Act to create 27.01 (7) (c) 1s., 27.01 (9) (bt), 27.01 (10) (fg), 29.196, 29.563 (2) (a) 5j. and 29.563 (3) (a) 6m. of the statutes; relating to: waivers for hunting, fishing, camping, and state park admission fees for law enforcement officers.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to waive fees for state park admission, camping, and certain fishing and hunting approvals for a person who is a law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency in this state. The waivers do not apply after July 1, 2023.

Under current law generally, no person may operate a vehicle in any state park or in certain other recreational areas on state land unless the vehicle displays a vehicle admission receipt. The bill requires DNR to waive all fees for issuance of an annual vehicle admission receipt for a vehicle owned by a law enforcement officer. The bill also requires DNR to waive, during the three-day weekend that includes Memorial Day, the admission receipt requirement for a vehicle that is occupied by a law enforcement officer.

Under current law, no person may camp in a state campground without paying the applicable fee. The bill requires DNR to waive camping fees for law enforcement officers during the three-day weekend that includes Memorial Day.

Under current law, a person may not hunt or fish wild animals without the appropriate approvals issued by DNR. For applicants who are law enforcement officers, the bill requires DNR to issue an annual fishing license or a deer hunting license for free.

The bill requires the governor to allocate moneys received under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to DNR to replace revenue lost as a result of providing the waivers under the bill.

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:

AB835,1 Section 1. 27.01 (7) (c) 1s. of the statutes is created to read:

AB835,2,6 27.01 (7) (c) 1s. Any vehicle, except a motor bus, that is in a vehicle admission area during the 3-day weekend that includes Memorial Day and that is occupied by a person who produces evidence that shows that he or she is a law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency located in this state. This subdivision does not apply after July 1, 2023.

AB835,2 Section 2. 27.01 (9) (bt) of the statutes is created to read:

AB835,2,13 27.01 (9) (bt) Annual vehicle admission receipt fee waiver; law enforcement officers. The department shall waive the fee, including the issuing fee, imposed under sub. (7) for an annual vehicle admission receipt for any vehicle, except a motor bus, that has Wisconsin registration plates and that is owned by a person who produces evidence that he or she is a law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency located in this state. This paragraph does not apply after July 1, 2023.

AB835,3 Section 3. 27.01 (10) (fg) of the statutes is created to read:

AB835,2,19 27.01 (10) (fg) Waiver of fees; law enforcement officers. The department shall waive camping fees during the 3-day weekend that includes Memorial Day for any person who produces evidence that he or she is a law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency located in this state. This paragraph does not apply after July 1, 2023.

AB835,4 Section 4. 29.196 of the statutes is created to read:

AB835,3,6 29.196 Approvals for law enforcement officers. The department shall issue without any charge a resident annual fishing license or a resident deer hunting license to a person who applies for the license and produces evidence that he or she is a law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency located in this state. This section does not apply after July 1, 2023.

AB835,5 Section 5. 29.563 (2) (a) 5j. of the statutes is created to read:

AB835,3,8 29.563 (2) (a) 5j. Deer issued to a law enforcement officer under s. 29.196: $0.

AB835,6 Section 6. 29.563 (3) (a) 6m. of the statutes is created to read:

AB835,3,11 29.563 (3) (a) 6m. Annual fishing license issued to a law enforcement officer under s. 29.196: $0.

AB835,7 Section 7. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB835,3,18 (1) Of the moneys the governor accepts from the federal government under s. 16.54 pursuant to section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as amended by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, the governor shall allocate a sum sufficient to fully replace any revenue lost by the department of natural resources during the 2021-23 fiscal biennium as a result of waiving fees under ss. 27.01 (7) (c) 1s., (9) (bt), and (10) (fg) and 29.196.

AB835,8 Section 8. Initial applicability.

AB835,3,23 (1) This act first applies to vehicle admission receipt waivers offered, camping reservations made, and applications for annual vehicle admission receipts and hunting and fishing approvals received by the department of natural resources on the effective date of this subsection.

AB835,3,24 (End)