Bill Text: IL HB4277 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Provides that blind or disabled residents may fish with commercial fishing devices without holding a sports fishing license. Provides that veterans who, according to the determination of the federal Veterans' Administration as certified by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, are at least 10% disabled with service-related disabilities or in receipt of total disability pensions may fish with commercial fishing devices without holding a sports fishing license during those periods of the year that it is lawful to fish with commercial fishing devices, if the respective disabilities do not prevent them from fishing in a manner that is safe to themselves and others.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6)

Status: (Passed) 2014-08-15 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 98-0898 [HB4277 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-HB4277-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 098-0898
HB4277 Enrolled LRB098 15949 MGM 50996 b
AN ACT concerning fish.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Fish and Aquatic Life Code is amended by
changing Section 15-5 as follows:
(515 ILCS 5/15-5) (from Ch. 56, par. 15-5)
Sec. 15-5. Commercial fisherman; license requirement.
(a) A "commercial fisherman" is defined as any individual
who uses any of the commercial fishing devices as defined by
this Code for the taking of any aquatic life, except mussels,
protected by the terms of this Code.
(b) All commercial fishermen shall have a commercial
fishing license. In addition to a commercial fishing license, a
commercial fisherman shall also obtain a sport fishing license.
All individuals assisting a licensed commercial fisherman in
taking aquatic life, except mussels, from any waters of the
State must have a commercial fishing license unless these
individuals are under the direct supervision of and aboard the
same watercraft as the licensed commercial fisherman. An
individual assisting a licensed commercial fisherman must
first obtain a sport fishing license.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
contrary, blind or disabled residents may fish with commercial

fishing devices without holding a sports fishing license. For
the purpose of this Section, an individual is blind or disabled
if that individual has a Class 2 disability as defined in
Section 4A of the Illinois Identification Card Act. For the
purposes of this Section, an Illinois person with a Disability
Identification Card issued under the Illinois Identification
Card Act indicating that the individual named on the card has a
Class 2 disability shall be adequate documentation of a
disability.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
contrary, a veteran who, according to the determination of the
federal Veterans' Administration as certified by the
Department of Veterans' Affairs, is at least 10% disabled with
service-related disabilities or in receipt of total disability
pensions may fish with commercial fishing devices without
holding a sports fishing license during those periods of the
year that it is lawful to fish with commercial fishing devices,
if the respective disabilities do not prevent the veteran from
fishing in a manner that is safe to him or herself and others.
(e) (c) A "Lake Michigan commercial fisherman" is defined
as an individual who resides in this State or an Illinois
corporation who uses any of the commercial fishing devices as
defined by this Code for the taking of aquatic life, except
mussels, protected by the terms of this Code.
(f) (d) For purposes of this Section, an act or omission
that constitutes a violation committed by an officer, employee,

or agent of a corporation shall be deemed the act or omission
of the corporation.
(Source: P.A. 98-336, eff. 1-1-14.)