SB586: Bill Text

SB586,,1 2023 SENATE BILL 586

October 30, 2023 - Introduced by Senators Stafsholt, Felzkowski and Tomczyk, cosponsored by Representatives Tittl, Plumer, Brooks, Edming, Gustafson, Murphy, Mursau, Rettinger, Schmidt, Sortwell and VanderMeer. Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage.

SB586,,2 An Act to amend 29.016 (1) (b), 29.016 (2) (intro.), 29.053 (3), 29.089 (2) (intro.), 29.091 (1), 29.091 (2) (intro.), 29.164 (2) (b), 29.173 (2) (a), 29.182 (3) (a), 29.182 (3) (b), 29.184 (3) (am), 29.184 (3) (c), 29.185 (6) (a) 1., 29.185 (6) (b), 29.193 (2) (cr) 4., 29.193 (2) (d), 29.211 (2), 29.311 (1), 29.312 (2), 29.314 (3) (a), 29.324 (1) (b), 29.324 (1) (d), 29.341 (1), 29.345, 29.592 (1) (intro.), 29.621 (4) (intro.), 29.927 (6g), 29.971 (12), 66.0409 (1) (a), 167.31 (2) (c), 167.31 (2) (d), 167.31 (3) (b), 167.31 (3m) (a), 167.31 (4) (a) (intro.), 167.31 (4) (am) 1., 167.31 (4) (at), 167.31 (4) (cg) (intro.), 167.31 (4) (cg) 4., 167.31 (4) (cg) 6., 167.31 (4) (e), 167.31 (4) (f), 167.31 (4) (fm) and 167.31 (4) (h) (intro.); and to create 29.001 (7), 29.014 (1u) and 167.31 (1) (am) of the statutes; relating to: hunting with an airgun, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.

SB586,,3 Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under this bill, a person may hunt a wild animal with an airgun in a season open to hunting that animal with a firearm. “Airgun” is defined to mean a weapon originally manufactured to expel one or more metal projectiles by the expansion of compressed air.

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources is authorized to establish open and closed seasons for the hunting of wild animals. DNR issues hunting licenses that authorize the hunting of specified animals, and those licenses specify the type of weapon that may be used when hunting under those licenses.

Under the bill, if DNR establishes an open season for hunting an animal with a firearm, the season must also be open for hunting that animal with an airgun. The bill also provides that each license that currently authorizes the hunting of an animal with a firearm also authorizes the hunting of that animal with an airgun.

Current law generally prohibits discharging a firearm from a vehicle or aircraft, across a highway, within 50 feet of a highway, and in the direction of a transmission facility. The bill expands these prohibitions to include discharging an airgun.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

SB586,,4 The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB586,1 Section 1. 29.001 (7) of the statutes is created to read:

SB586,,6 29.001 (7) “Airgun” means a weapon originally manufactured to expel one or more metal projectiles by the expansion of compressed air.

SB586,2 Section 2. 29.014 (1u) of the statutes is created to read:

SB586,,8 29.014 (1u) (a) If the department establishes an open season for hunting an animal with a firearm, the season shall also be open for hunting that animal with an airgun.

SB586,,9 (b) The department may promulgate rules limiting the types of airguns that may be used to hunt specific species during particular hunting seasons. If the department promulgates rules under this paragraph, the department shall allow the use of airguns and airgun ammunition that are similar to permitted firearms and firearm ammunition with regards to effectiveness for hunting.

SB586,3 Section 3. 29.016 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,11 29.016 (1) (b) Except as provided in subs. (2) and (3), establish a fall open season for hunting deer with firearms and airguns that begins before the Saturday immediately preceding the 4th Thursday in November.

SB586,4 Section 4. 29.016 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,13 29.016 (2) (intro.) Subsection (1) (b) does not prohibit the department from promulgating a rule that establishes a fall open season for hunting deer with firearms and airguns that begins before the Saturday immediately preceding the 4th Thursday in November if any of the following applies:

SB586,5 Section 5. 29.053 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,15 29.053 (3) The department may modify any requirement of this chapter or rules promulgated under it, establish special seasons, authorize the use of special equipment or take any other action in order to provide additional hunting and fishing opportunities for persons who are physically disabled or visually handicapped. The department may limit the number of persons involved, except that if the department establishes a special season for hunting deer with firearms and airguns for persons who are physically disabled, the season shall be open to persons who have been issued a Class D permit under s. 29.193 (2).

SB586,6 Section 6. 29.089 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,17 29.089 (2) (intro.) No person may have in his or her possession or under his or her control a firearm or airgun on land located in state fish hatcheries unless the firearm or airgun is unloaded and enclosed within a carrying case. This subsection does not apply to any of the following:

SB586,7 Section 7. 29.091 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,19 29.091 (1) No person may hunt or trap within any wildlife refuge established under s. 23.09 (2) (b) or 29.621 (1), or, except as provided in sub. (2), have possession or control of any gun, firearm, airgun, bow, or crossbow unless the gun or, firearm, or airgun is unloaded, the bow or crossbow is unstrung, and the gun, firearm, airgun, bow, or crossbow is enclosed within a carrying case. The taking of predatory game birds and animals shall be done as the department directs. All state wildlife refuge boundary lines shall be marked by posts placed at intervals of not over 500 feet and bearing signs with the words “Wisconsin Wildlife Refuge”.

SB586,8 Section 8. 29.091 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,21 29.091 (2) (intro.) The prohibition in sub. (1), as it relates to the possession or control of a loaded or unencased gun or, firearm, or airgun within a refuge established under s. 23.09 (2) (b), does not apply to any of the following:

SB586,9 Section 9. 29.164 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,23 29.164 (2) (b) Type of hunting authorized. A license issued under this section authorizes hunting with a firearm, airgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

SB586,10 Section 10. 29.173 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,25 29.173 (2) (a) A resident deer hunting license authorizes the hunting of deer with a firearm, airgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

SB586,11 Section 11. 29.182 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,27 29.182 (3) (a) A resident elk hunting license authorizes a resident of this state to hunt elk with a firearm, airgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

SB586,12 Section 12. 29.182 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,29 29.182 (3) (b) A nonresident elk hunting license authorizes a nonresident of this state to hunt elk with a firearm, airgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

SB586,13 Section 13. 29.184 (3) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,31 29.184 (3) (am) Evidence of bear hunting. The fact that a person is observing a bear while possessing a firearm or airgun is not sufficient evidence to prove that the person holding the firearm or airgun is hunting bear.

SB586,14 Section 14. 29.184 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,33 29.184 (3) (c) Type of hunting authorized. A Class A bear license authorizes hunting with a firearm, airgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

SB586,15 Section 15. 29.185 (6) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,35 29.185 (6) (a) 1. A firearm or airgun, as authorized under par. (b), a bow and arrow, or a crossbow.

SB586,16 Section 16. 29.185 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,37 29.185 (6) (b) Firearms and ammunition. A wolf harvesting license authorizes hunting with a rifle, a muzzle-loading firearm, a handgun, a shotgun that fires slugs or shotshells, an airgun, and any other firearm that is loaded with a single slug or ball. A wolf harvesting license authorizes hunting with shot that is larger than size BB.

SB586,17 Section 17. 29.193 (2) (cr) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,39 29.193 (2) (cr) 4. A person holding a current resident or nonresident deer hunting license and a Class D permit may hunt deer of either sex with a firearm or airgun only during a special season established by the department that is open for hunting deer with firearms by disabled persons who hold a permit under this section.

SB586,18 Section 18. 29.193 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,41 29.193 (2) (d) Assistance. 1. A holder of a Class A or Class B permit may be accompanied by a person who is not eligible to apply for a Class A or Class B permit. The accompanying person may not hunt or carry a firearm, airgun, bow, or crossbow unless that person has been issued the appropriate approval to do so. The assistance rendered by an accompanying person who has not been issued the appropriate approval is limited to field dressing, tagging, and retrieving game for the permit holder.

SB586,,42 2. A holder of a Class C permit shall be accompanied by a person who is not eligible to apply for a permit under this section. The accompanying person may not hunt or carry a firearm, airgun, bow, or crossbow unless the person has been issued the appropriate approval to do so. The assistance rendered by an accompanying person may include sighting the firearm, airgun, bow, or crossbow, identifying the game, and field dressing, tagging, and retrieving game for the permit holder.

SB586,,43 3. A holder of a Class D permit may use an adaptive device, as authorized by the department by rule, to facilitate the use of a firearm or an airgun and may be accompanied by a person who is not eligible to apply for a permit under this section. The accompanying person may not hunt or carry a firearm, airgun, bow, or crossbow unless that person has been issued the appropriate approval to do so. The assistance rendered by an accompanying person who has not been issued the appropriate approval is limited to field dressing, tagging, and retrieving game for the permit holder and any other assistance authorized by the department by rule.

SB586,19 Section 19. 29.211 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,45 29.211 (2) Authorization. A nonresident deer hunting license authorizes the hunting of deer with a firearm, airgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

SB586,20 Section 20. 29.311 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,47 29.311 (1) No person may hunt waterfowl or coots with any firearm or airgun using any shotshell classified by the federal government as toxic or harmful to wildlife or the environment.

SB586,21 Section 21. 29.312 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB586,,49 29.312 (2) The department may not promulgate or enforce a rule that prohibits a person from sighting a firearm or airgun on land owned or leased by that person or a member of that person’s immediate family during the 24-hour period prior to the opening date for hunting deer with firearms in any area where there is an open season for hunting deer with firearms.