HB40 Alabama 2020 Session

Relating to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; to add Section 9-11-65.3 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to issue lifetime hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing licenses to disabled U.S. military veterans who are residents of this state and to establish fees, qualifications, and conditions for the licenses.

Section 1

Section 2

Section 9-11-65.3 is added to the Code of Alabama 1975, to read as follows: § 9-11-65.3. (a) Effective beginning with the license year commencing on September 1, 2020, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources may issue resident lifetime hunting and fishing licenses to disabled U.S. military veterans subject to the fees, qualifications, and conditions in this section. (b) Hunting License. (1) A U.S. military veteran who is certified by the U.S. Veterans Administration as 50 percent or more physically disabled and who meets the residency requirements of Section 9-11-44 may in lieu of purchasing an annual hunting license purchase a lifetime disabled military veteran's appreciation hunting license for the following applicable fee: a. Disabled military veterans less than 50 years old - $291.30. b. Disabled military veterans 50 years old or older - $174.60. (2) A U.S. military veteran who is certified by the U.S. Veterans Administration as 100 percent, service-connected permanently and totally disabled and who meets the residency requirements of Section 9-11-44 may in lieu of purchasing an annual hunting license purchase a lifetime resident 100 percent disabled military veteran's appreciation hunting license for the following applicable fee. a. Disabled military veterans less than 50 years old - $45.00. b. Disabled military veterans 50 years old or older - $27.00. (3) The license fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into the Alabama Game and Fish Endowment Fund. (c) Freshwater Fishing License. (1) A U.S. military veteran meeting the disability and residency requirements of Section 9-11-53 may in lieu of purchasing an annual freshwater fishing license purchase a lifetime disabled military veteran's appreciation freshwater fishing license for the following applicable fee: a. Disabled military veterans less than 50 years old - $45.00. b. Disabled military veterans 50 years old or older - $27.00. (2) The license fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into the Alabama Game and Fish Endowment Fund. (d) Saltwater Fishing License. (1) A U.S. military veteran meeting the disability and residency requirements of Section 9-11-53.1 may in lieu of purchasing an annual saltwater fishing license purchase a lifetime resident disabled military veteran's appreciation saltwater fishing license for the following applicable fees: a. Disabled military veterans less than 50 years old - $45.00. b. Disabled military veterans 50 years old or older - $27.00. (2) The license fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into the Marine Resources Fund. (e) Combination License. (1) The Department may offer a combination lifetime license for hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing to disabled military veterans for a total of the applicable license fees listed in this section. (f) In addition to paying any license fee required by this section, an applicant shall pay an issuance fee of one dollar and ten cents ($1.10) when submitting his or her license application. (g) The license fees and issuance fees prescribed in this section are subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 9-11-68. (h) Applications for lifetime licenses authorized by this section shall be filed in the office of the commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or as otherwise authorized by the commissioner on forms prescribed by the commissioner. (i) Lifetime license issued pursuant to this section are not transferrable. (j) Nonresidents of this state may not be purchase the licenses provided for in this section. (k) The holder of a valid disabled military veterans hunting or disabled military veterans freshwater fishing license shall also be entitled to all of the privileges of the wildlife heritage license.

Section 3

This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.