LRB-2726/1
EHS&MPG:wlj
2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE
September 29, 2017 - Introduced by Representatives Kremer, Skowronski, Allen,
Bernier, Brandtjen, Crowley, Duchow, Edming, Felzkowski, Gannon,
Horlacher, Krug, Mason, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Novak, Ott, Petryk,
Pronschinske, Quinn, Ripp, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo, Spiros, Subeck,
Thiesfeldt and Tittl, cosponsored by Senators Stroebel, Craig,
Moulton
and Marklein. Referred to Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.
AB520,1,6
1An Act to amend 29.194 (1) (b), 29.235 (3m), 29.563 (4) (a) 2s. and 29.563 (4) (b)
22s.; and
to create 29.001 (14) and 45.13 of the statutes;
relating to: hunting,
3trapping, and fishing approvals issued to recipients of a medal awarded by the
4U.S. armed forces that is equal to or higher than the Purple Heart medal in
5order of precedence and maintenance of a list of such medals by the Department
6of Veterans Affairs.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to treat a nonresident
recipient of a U.S. armed forces award that is equal to or higher than the Purple
Heart medal in order of precedence as a resident for purposes of issuing hunting,
trapping, or fishing approvals. The bill also requires DNR to issue a conservation
patron license at a reduced fee to a resident or nonresident applicant who has
received a U.S. armed forces award that is equal to or higher than the Purple Heart
medal in order of precedence. Under the bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs is
required to maintain a list of medals awarded by the U.S. armed forces that are equal
to or higher than the Purple Heart medal in order of precedence.
Under current law, DNR must treat a qualified member of the U.S. armed
forces, a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces, or the national guard or a nonresident
who has received the Purple Heart medal as a resident for purposes of determining
the member's eligibility for, and cost of, obtaining hunting, trapping, or fishing
approvals. Fees for approvals issued to residents are lower than for those issued to
nonresidents. This bill expands this treatment to a nonresident who has received a
medal awarded by the U.S. armed forces that is equal to or higher than the Purple
Heart medal in order of precedence.
Under current law, a conservation patron license confers a number of hunting,
trapping, and fishing privileges and allows free vehicle admission to state parks and
related areas. Under current law, DNR must issue a conservation patron license at
a reduced fee to a resident or nonresident applicant who has received a Purple Heart
medal. This bill expands this requirement to a resident or nonresident applicant who
has received a medal awarded by the U.S. armed forces that is equal to or higher in
order of precedence than the Purple Heart medal.
Under this bill, for purposes of a DNR determination of whether a person is a
qualified recipient of a U.S. armed forces medal, verification by a county veteran
services office is sufficient proof that a person has received an armed forces medal.
For further information see the state and local 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:
AB520,1
1Section
1. 29.001 (14) of the statutes is created to read:
AB520,2,42
29.001
(14) “Armed forces medal” means the Purple Heart medal or other
3medal awarded by the U.S. armed forces that is equal to or higher than the Purple
4Heart medal in order of precedence.
AB520,2
5Section
2. 29.194 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB520,3,86
29.194
(1) (b) The department shall treat a qualified recipient of
a purple heart 7an armed forces medal, a qualified member of the armed forces, a qualified member
8of a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces, or a qualified member of the national guard
9as a resident for purposes of determining the person's eligibility for and cost of
10obtaining a hunting, trapping, or fishing approval under this chapter, except for a
11conservation patron license issued under s. 29.235 (3m). A qualified recipient of
a
12purple heart an armed forces medal is a person who is not a resident who exhibits
13proof that he or she has received
a purple heart
an armed forces medal.
Verification
1by a county veteran services office is sufficient proof that a person has received an
2armed forces medal. A qualified member of the armed forces is a person who exhibits
3proof that he or she is in active service in the U.S. armed forces or in forces
4incorporated in the U.S. armed forces and that he or she is stationed in this state.
5A qualified member of a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces is a person who exhibits
6proof that he or she is a member of a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces located in
7this state. A qualified member of the national guard is a person who exhibits proof
8that he or she is a member of the Wisconsin national guard.
AB520,3
9Section
3. 29.235 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB520,3,1810
29.235
(3m) Purple heart Armed forces medal conservation patron license. 11The department shall issue a resident conservation patron license at the reduced fee
12under s. 29.563 (4) (a) 2s. to any resident applying for this license who exhibits proof
13that he or she has received
a purple heart an armed forces medal.
Verification by
14a county veteran services office is sufficient proof that a person has received an
15armed forces medal. The department shall issue a nonresident conservation patron
16license at the reduced fee under s. 29.563 (4) (b) 2s. to any person applying for this
17license who is not a resident and who exhibits proof that he or she has received
a
18purple heart an armed forces medal.
AB520,4
19Section
4. 29.563 (4) (a) 2s. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB520,3,2220
29.563
(4) (a) 2s. Conservation patron issued under s. 29.235 (3m) to a recipient
21of
the purple heart an armed forces medal: $9.25 or a greater amount at the
22applicant's option.
AB520,5
23Section
5. 29.563 (4) (b) 2s. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB520,4,3
129.563
(4) (b) 2s. Conservation patron issued under s. 29.235 (3m) to a recipient
2of
the purple heart an armed forces medal: $160.25 or a greater amount at the
3applicant's option.
AB520,6
4Section 6
. 45.13 of the statutes is created to read:
AB520,4,10
545.13 Certain service medals. The department shall maintain and update
6as needed a list of each medal awarded by the U.S. armed forces that is equal to or
7higher than the Purple Heart medal in order of precedence. The department shall
8post the list on its Internet site and shall make the list available to all county
9veterans service offices and the department of natural resources for purposes of s.
1029.001 (14).
